Bonds of the Uzumaki
by pain17ification
Summary: What if a cousin of Naruto's was alive and well? What if his cousin and he met during the Chunin exams? What if his cousin decided to stay in Konoha after finding family and love? NaruxHinaxFuu and OCxAnkoxTayuya. My first story so please be gentle. R&R please. Go Uzumaki Clan! Decided against making a sequel... Sorry to those who wanted one!
1. Chapter 1: Welcome to Konoha

Hey guys! This is my first attempt at a FanFiction so bear with me on this please.

Anyway, this is pain17ification loading my story "Bond of the Uzumaki". This is a story with Naruto meeting a long lost cousin who survived the Uzushiogakure Destruction. This will be my OC named Koda Uzumaki, Kushina's older brother's son. I decided that the healing factor will be one of **three** Uzumaki bloodlines. The two that have been used frequently are the healing factor and the Rinnegan. The third will be control over water to the point where it is like water bending from The Last Airbender (which I don't own). Naruto will be with Hinata because I have no idea who else to put him with. Koda will be 3 years older than Naruto (Naru 14, Koda 17) so he will be with Anko just because I **love** her character.

And now that's a simple overview. I own nothing except my OC and this story.

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Biju speech"**

'**Biju thought/mental speech' **

(Author Note)

Scene change/Chapter name

Chpt 1: Welcome to Konoha

On the path heading for the village of Konoha, two figures were nearing the village gates.

The first figure was female with rust colored hair, emerald green eyes, and dressed in a blue battle dress over a fishnet shirt, high-heeled shinobi sandals, and with her waist length hair down. This woman was Mei Terumi, Jonin of Mizugakure and sensei of the next figure.

The next figure was male with long, spiky, black hair and amethyst eyes. He was dressed in a navy blue, sleeveless shirt, black, baggy pants under a fur skirt (he isn't gay. I just couldn't find any other way to describe it), and fur boots with a thin layer of metal on their bottoms. He also wore bandages all along his arms that were grey in color. His long, spiky hair reached his mid back held in a ponytail. He also wore his black-clothed headband around his neck. This man was Koda Uzumaki, a son of one of Uzushiogakure's survivors and elite Genin of Mizugakure.

"There's the main gate," said Mei. "You ready for this, Koda?"

Koda was quiet for a second, until a confident grin was seen on his face.

"Let's do this Mei sensei."

Konoha Streets

The two Mizu shinobi were enjoying their peaceful walk while they headed for the Hokage Tower. Mei enjoyed the peaceful smiles and comments of the civilians, while ignoring the perverted men in the process. Koda paid more attention to the children running around and playing. He watched with a gentle smile on his face. He always wanted kids ever since he helped out in the orphanage at Mizugakure. He enjoyed making them smile and wanted to raise a family of his own one day.

Mei saw the gentle look on Koda's face and couldn't help but feel pity for him. He was the son of Terqua Uzumaki and Kiara Shiba, two of the best shinobi Mizu had to offer. Three years after his birth, Koda's parents headed out on a dangerous mission and only their heads returned by a large messenger bird. They were killed and the murderer was never found. Koda was never the same since he always looked at families with looks of longing and became distant towards others. He had just started to talk to people again and his old confident personality was slowly showing itself again. For that, Mei was glad.

They kept walking until some Leaf Anbu appeared in front of them. One was wearing a cat mask and the other wore a tiger mask.

"Are you Mei and Koda?" asked Cat.

"Yes," answered Mei.

"Come with us. Hokage-sama is waiting."

"Thank you, Cat-san."

Hokage's Office

The 3rd Hokage, Sarutobi, was a kind looking old man who cared for his village a great deal. He loved his job except for one little (cough*big*cough) problem: paperwork.

Sarutobi knew that paperwork would most likely be the death of him. He had finished about a quarter of the day's work and was currently glaring at the rest. He was shaken from the glare fest by snickering from the Anbu and Mizu shinobi. Blushing slightly in embarrassment, he waved away the Anbu and focused on the two others in his office.

"Welcome to Konoha, Mei-san and Koda-san. Please have a seat," said the aged Hokage.

"Thank you," Mei said, "I'm here to sign Koda-kun here up for the Chunin Exams."

"Just Koda?" asked Sarutobi.

"Yes. He is the only Genin in Mizu who has completed C and B-rank missions alone with a Mizu Jonin. As such, his skills allow him to work without partners quite easily."

Sarutobi turned to Koda, sizing him up. Koda's confident aura never faltered and he easily stared back at the old man. Sarutobi then smiled and turned back to Mei.

"Very well, Mei-san. Koda will be allowed to compete alone. However, he will have a slightly higher goal set in order to pass."

"That's fine with me," Koda said speaking up at last. "I'll still pass this exam, no matter how hard I have to work for it!"

Sarutobi smiled at him and said, "Alright, Koda. Here is the form and good luck."

Koda quickly filled out the form, handed it to the old Hokage, and said, "Thank you sir. Now I guess I should be going. I still wanna see the rest of this village." With that, he gave a bow and water flickered back to the front door of the tower.

The Hokage looked at the form and his eyes widened in shock. There, where it said "name" was the name "Koda Uzumaki".

"H-he's an U-Uzumaki?" the old man asked in shock.

(End)

Well, what did you guys think of the first chapter? Kinda short I know, but c'mon! It's my first story, so give a little break. Anyway, should Koda and Naruto meet in the next chapter or no? Please rate, review and respond to the question. Thanks!

pain17ification, out!


	2. Chapter 2: Meetings

Hey guys! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter "Bond of the Uzumaki". Koda meets Anko, helps out Konohamaru, and meets Naruto in this chapter.

pain17ification doesn't own Naruto! (Damn…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Biju speech"**

'**Biju thought/mental speech' **

(Author Note)

Scene change/Chapter name

Chpt 2: Explanations, the Violet Snake, and the Blond Maelstrom

After Koda left the Hokage Tower, Sarutobi turned to Mei with a serious face. She was confused about the elderly man's change of attitude and decided to question him.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Care to explain why you have another Uzumaki accompanying you?"

"Wait, what do you mean by 'another'?" she asked, very confused.

"Simple. We believed that our resident Uzumaki was the last of them all. But apparently Mizu had another in their midst. We sent out search parties years ago to search for any other Uzumaki when the boy's parents passed. Why didn't Mizu respond or present any others when it's clear that you have some?" Sarutobi explained then asked.

"One," Mei corrected. "We only have one Uzumaki left. Koda lost his parents 14 years ago and we had no idea if there were any other Uzumaki left in the world. I'm sorry, but I don't recall ever seeing any of Konoha's search parties. Even if we did, Koda was in no condition to leave the village. The issue with his parents' deaths was far too much for him at the time. Who is the Uzumaki in your village?"

"His name is Naruto. He is the son of the Red Death, Kushina Uzumaki," he stated making Mei's eyes go wide with shock and realization. "Do you know her?"

"Koda once told me that his father had a younger sister who left Uzu when she was 12. He said her name was Kushina… So that means that this Naruto and Koda are cousins! Not just by clan name, but also by actual blood!"

Sarutobi was shocked; however, he was also happy. He finally found a living _blood_ relative of Naruto's (they have no idea that Tsunade is technically a blood relative yet). He then realized that Koda didn't know this and could easily run into Naruto and cause some problems. He just hoped that they would be mature about their inevitable meeting.

With Koda

Koda was strolling down the road in the market area of the village, just taking in the sights. He then heard a yell and saw some poor fool get launched out of the Dango Bar just up ahead. The fool had swirls in his eyes and was groaning constantly.

"That's what you get for copping a feel, you fucking prick!" came the voice of a woman who stepped out of the bar. She had violet hair in a fan/pineapple like ponytail, a tan trench coat covering a fishnet shirt, a _seriously_ short skirt, shin guards, and shinobi sandals. Koda noticed that she had a dango stick in her mouth and that her eyes held cold fury.

'Phew… Glad I'm not _that_ guy,' he thought. He always knew to never piss off a woman, but he also knew that any self-respecting kunoichi was a pervert's worst nightmare. He saw the poor idiot run off in terror and the woman looked in his direction. Her anger switched to a look of confusion then realization.

"Hey, stranger," she greeted. "You here for the Chunin Exams?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I am. Name's Koda, Miss…" he started.

"Oh! Where are my manners? Name's Anko Mitarashi, Special Jonin of Konoha and self-proclaimed 'Sexiest Kunoichi' of the village!" she stated with a silly grin.

'Yeah, she is!' Koda thought before he said, "Well, Anko-san, it was nice to meet you but I was just passing through. First time in a new village, you know?"

She nodded then a 'light bulb' went off in her head. "Hey, why don't I tell you about our village over some dango; as long as you're paying?"

He thought about it, but then figured that he _was_ hungry, so a dango lunch didn't sound too bad.

"Alright, you're on."

They sat at the counter stools and ordered their dango. Koda was then told by Anko all she knew about the village from the four Hokage, to the best training spots, and finally she went on about how most men in the village were perverts, including the 3rd! Koda had a good laugh at that one.

"So, tell me about yourself," Anko suddenly said.

"Well, what'd you wanna know?" he asked.

"How about a basic Genin to Jonin Sensei intro?" she suggested.

"Alright then," he started, "My name is Koda Uzumaki." Anko's eyes widened slightly at this. "I like my village, especially the kids there, and the memories I have of my late parents." His eyes held sadness at this but then turned slightly angry as he said, "I hate the man who killed them, the fact that we haven't found him, arrogant people, and people who judge books by their covers. My goal for the future is to try and find any Uzumaki left and restart our clan," he finished with a look of pure determination. "Now you."

"Alright, my name's Anko Mitarashi. I like my friends, dango, and my adoptive otouto, Naruto. I dislike perverts, people who interrupt my training time, and people who act before they think. I _hate_ a certain snake traitor and what he did to me." Koda was confused about that, but he didn't comment on it. "My goals for the future are to kill the snake, cleanse myself, and have a family."

"Who is this 'snake' and what did he do?" Koda couldn't help but ask.

"Well-" she started before they heard a child scream. They turned their heads and saw a blonde teen and a brunette boy along with two other kids being chased by a _pink_ haired teen. The pinkette had a look of fury while the others had looks of pure fear. Koda, who thought they were in danger, raced out of the bar to help them while yelling out a "Sorry!" to Anko on his way out.

Alleyway

Naruto Uzumaki, Konoha's Kyubi Jinchuriki, and the Konohamaru Corps. were being chased by Sakura Haruno after Konohamaru made a comment about her being Naruto's girlfriend. They weren't watching where they were going when Ko (short for Konohamaru) ran into a teen in a black suit with "cat-like" ears and purple war paint. Behind the teen was a blonde girl who had her hair in four, spiky ponytails and wore a white outfit (idk how to describe her first outfit) over a fishnet suit. They both wore headbands that represented Sunagakure, or Suna for short. The black-clad teen lifted up Ko by his collar and brought him to eye level.

"Hey, brat," he started, "Watch where you're going."

"Kankuro," the blonde said, "Put the kid down. Do you wanna start something in the village already?"

"This won't take long, Temari," he said. "I'm just gonna teach this kid a little lesson on observation."

Temari sighed and said, "I'm not bailing you out when _he_ shows up."

"Hey!" Naruto shouted, "Put him down you purple-faced clown!"

Temari snickered while Kankuro seethed. He was about to hit Ko when, suddenly water wrapped around the wrist holding Ko. The water squeezed and forced Kankuro to drop the kid, who ran and hid behind Naruto. Everyone followed the trail of water from Kankuro's wrist and it ended at Koda's hand.

"Thank you for finally letting the kid go, Suna nin," Koda said.

"Who the fuck are you, Mizu nin?" Kankuro yelled out.

"Before I answer, why don't the both of you in the trees get out here," Koda called out.

Everyone, even the newly shown nin, widened their eyes at how easily Koda found out about the two new arrivals. The first was an arrogant looking boy in a blue shirt, white pants, and black hair styled in a duck's butt. He had a Konoha headband. The second was a calm looking red head dressed in a black track suit with a white sash and a giant gourd on his back. He had a Suna headband. These two were Sasuke Uchiha and Gaara of the Desert respectably.

"Kankuro," Gaara started, "You're a disgrace to our village."

"B-but, Gaara-" Kankuro tried to say.

"Shut up before I kill you," Gaara interrupted without hesitation. Kankuro wisely did just that. "Now then, what's your name?"

Sasuke, who naturally believed it was directed at him, smugly replied, "Sasuke Uchiha."

"Not you," Gaara said, angering the Uchiha. He pointed at Koda and said, "Him."

Koda gave a calculating glance towards Gaara and responded, "Koda Uzumaki." Naruto grew wide eyed at this. "And yours?"

"Gaara of the Desert. Mother calls for your blood, Uzumaki. I look forward to seeing you during the exams."

"Likewise, Gaara. See you there."

Gaara nodded at him and left with his team. Naruto pointed a shaking finger at Koda.

"What did you say your name was again?" he asked anxiously.

"Hmm? Oh, it's Koda Uzumaki. What's yours?"

"Naruto… Uzumaki."

Koda was shocked. He finally found another Uzumaki. Not only that, but, according to Anko, he was her adoptive otouto. This was a surprise.

"So, you're an Uzumaki as well," he stated. "Well, then I look forward to seeing you in this year's Exams as well, my brother (brother as in clan name; not as in blood)."

And with that, Koda left and Naruto was stuck in a state of shock. He always wondered if the name "Uzumaki" was real or not. But now that he met another Uzumaki, he felt happy about the fact that he was no longer alone in the world. He found _another_ Uzumaki, and he'd be damned if he didn't try and get to know him. Who knows? They may end up as real good friends.

(End)

And that's the end of Chpt 2. What did you think? I'll try and update my chapters weekly, unless of course something important comes up. If something _does_ come up, I'll make sure to explain when I _do_ post the chapter. Please rate and review. I hope to receive decent remarks. Thanks!

This is pain17ification, over and out!


	3. Chapter 3: Answers

Hey guys! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter "Bond of the Uzumaki". Koda and Naruto talk with Sarutobi and Mei. The pasts of Koda, Naruto, and Anko are also shared.

pain17ification doesn't own Naruto! (Damn…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Biju speech"**

'**Biju thought/mental speech'**

"_Jutsu_"

(Author Note)

Scene change/Chapter name

Chpt 3: The Truth and the Past

Koda just left the Genin team 7. Each member had different reactions to his interference with the Suna nin. Sakura was both grateful and irritated with him. She was glad that he kept Ko from getting hurt and causing an issue; however, she was irritated that he took the spotlight from "her" Sasuke-kun. She looked towards Sasuke and saw the look of anger on his face. Sasuke was enraged at the fact that he, a "great" Uchiha, was ignored by a foreign shinobi in favor of _another_ foreigner. He didn't understand why he wasn't immediately respected. With his family's name and history, respect was a given, right? He then remembered the surname of the foreigner: Uzumaki. He looked at Naruto in confusion. Wasn't Naruto the supposed "last Uzumaki"? How the hell did the dobe have family and a _clan_ by the sound of it? 'What the fuck is going on in this village?' thought Sasuke.

Naruto was still in shock about the fact that there was another Uzumaki. How was that possible? The old man told him that he never found _any_ other Uzumaki, so how was Koda an Uzumaki? It didn't make sense. The only explanation was that there were other Uzumaki in hiding, but why were they hiding? He decided to try and get the answer from Koda, his sensei, and the Hokage. There had to be an explanation for this; there just _had_ to be. With that thought in mind, he started running after Koda much to the shock of his teammates.

"Naruto-baka, where the _hell_ do you think you're going? We gotta go meet with Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura screeched (anyone else's ears bleeding right now?).

"I'll talk to him later!" Naruto responded without even turning back. "There's just something important that I have to figure out!" And with that, he was gone.

"That idiot. What do you think we should do Sasuke-kun?"

"Hmph. I don't care what the dobe is doing. I'm going to go meet with Kakashi," Sasuke responded. He turned to leave and Sakura immediately forgot about Naruto and followed Sasuke.

With Koda

Koda was trying to find Mei so that they could find a hotel for the evening. He figured that she would still be in the Hokage Tower, so he started heading there. Until…

"Wait!" came the cry of Naruto.

Koda turned and saw him running to catch up with him. He stopped and let Naruto come up and catch his breath. After a bit, Naruto stared at Koda and gave him a small glare. This confused Koda and he decided to find out the reason for said glare.

"Did I do something wrong? I'm just trying to find my sensei/escort." (Mei is only Koda's temporary sensei. You'll find out later)

Naruto didn't respond immediately, but when he did it was a simple, one-worded question. "How?"

"I'm sorry?"

"How are you an Uzumaki? The last I heard about them was that _I_ was the last. So, how are you one, and why didn't I find out until just a little bit ago?"

"I… I don't know. I thought the same as you, that _I_ was the last. I never imagined that there was another of my people _here_. The Uzumaki thrived in the Land of Water; not Fire. It's all so strange… Unless…" he trailed off.

"Unless… What?" Naruto asked anxiously.

"Not here. Let's go find the Hokage and Mei. I have a feeling that they have the answers we seek." With that, he resumed his walk to the Tower with Naruto in tow.

'I will find out the truth.' both of them thought.

Hokage Tower Office

"So, how did Koda's parents perish?" Sarutobi asked Mei.

"It isn't my place to say, Hokage-sama," Mei began. "The only thing I can say is that the very mention of them makes Koda become depressed and angry at the memory. I have seen the results of his depression when it was at its lowest and have only heard rumors of when it was at its greatest. At its lowest, he trained himself to exhaustion and never left the training grounds, not even to eat. He just fished to get food. Rumors in the village say that, at his depression's greatest, he used his bloodline to try and commit suicide. But instead of his wish for death, his bloodline grew stronger and *shudders* _darker_. There were even rumors that it got so dark that anyone near the area lost _all_ control of their limbs and felt as if they were _puppets_!"(1)

The Hokage was both shocked and a little fearful. He was shocked about the Uzumaki having a bloodline and fearful of its potential power. To be able to control others so easily was both terrifying and, regrettably, a much sought out ability. Sarutobi was _sure_ that if Danzo found out about this, he would push even harder to have Naruto be put in his shinobi program.

"So, do you believe these rumors?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. It seems believable, but at the same time it I don't want to believe it. To be able to use his bloodline to control people seems so unreal."

"Well, I'm sorry to point out, Mei, that it _is_ true," came the voice of Koda who just entered the office with Naruto.

"Koda!" Mei jumped in surprise. "How much did you hear?"

"*sigh* Enough to know that I have to explain a few things," he responded. He then turned serious and stared at the Hokage along with Naruto. "We need you to explain a few things, Hokage-sama. I won't answer your questions until you answer _mine_."

"Alright. What did you-?" he only asked that much before the door opened again and Anko walked in.

"Hokage-sama, I need to go over a few things with you," she said.

"Anko, I'm in a serious meeting. Could you please wait outside?"

"No," Koda said. "She can stay. She's Naruto's adoptive older sister, right? Then she deserves to know this as well."

Sarutobi was surprised that he knew that bit of info, but then figured that Koda and Anko talked earlier so he just nodded. "Anko, please close the door so that I may set up the silencing seals." After she closed the door and he activated the seals, the old man then turned to Koda and said, "Ask away."

"Alright, my first question is who Naruto's mother is?" This question surprised Naruto, but Koda didn't see it. "I have a feeling but I'm not 100% positive."

"Well, who do you think she is?"

"Kushina Uzumaki. It's the only woman I could possibly think of."

Sarutobi sighed and looked at Naruto with eyes full of regret. "You are correct. Naruto's mother is, indeed, Kushina. Naruto, I apologize for not telling you, but I couldn't, especially with who she was married to."

"Wait, who was she married to?" Naruto asked.

"I… I can't say."

"Tell him, old man, or _I_ will," Koda threatened. "He deserves to know this. You can't keep a child's parentage away from them, especially someone with a past like Naruto's."

"How do you know of his past?" Anko asked.

"I don't know the specifics, but he is wearing a mask to hide some type of tragedy. His facial expression may point out otherwise, but his eyes can't hide the fact that he _has_ had a terrible past. I can easily point out an emotional mask on someone since I wore one myself," Koda explained.

"*sigh* Naruto, before I tell you, I want you to know that your parents did what they did to protect you and that they loved you."

"Alright. I understand," Naruto said. "Now, please tell me."

"Your father, Naruto, was Minato Namikaze, the Yellow Flash and 4th Hokage of Konoha. The man who, along with your mother, gave up his life to protect the village but, more importantly, you."

Everyone but the Hokage and Koda was shocked at the answer. Koda only said, "I knew it. He looks just like the 4th if you add the whisker marks. I'm surprised that no one else figured it out."

"They were blinded by their fear of what they did to Naruto," Sarutobi said sadly. "With Naruto having a certain tenant, the villagers didn't want the truth, only a scapegoat to vent out their distress and anger. The nine-tailed fox did more than destroy parts of the village; it completely changed its citizens."

"Wait, so Naruto is connected to the Kyubi? How?" asked Mei.

At this question, Sarutobi, Anko, and Naruto had looks of grief. It was Naruto who answered. "The Kyubi is my tenant. It's sealed inside of me, making me like its prison cell. What was that word you said I was Jiji?"

"A Jinchuriki, Naruto. A human sacrifice."

"So, since Kushina is Naruto's mother, then that means, not only is Naruto my cousin, but his father is my uncle," stated Koda.

"Huh? I'm your cousin?" Naruto practically screamed.

"Yes. Based on the fact that your mother was my father's little sister, you are, indeed, my cousin." He smiled and rubbed the top of Naruto's head in a brotherly way. "Nice to know that I still have some family alive."

"Hey, cut that out!" Naruto yelled causing the mood to lighten up at the way the two Uzumaki interacted. "I'm glad that I have some family alive too, but don't treat me like a little kid."

"Well, you _are_ younger than me. How else am I supposed to treat you?" Koda asked cheekily. The glare Naruto gave made everyone laugh and Naruto joined in not long after.

"Anyway, was that all Koda?" Sarutobi asked.

"Yeah. I'm ready to answer your questions now."

"Alright then, can you tell me what happened to your parents?"

Koda tensed and asked in a low and even voice, "Why do you wanna know?"

"I wish to know you more, seeing as you are part of Naruto's family."

"*sigh* It's not particularly something I'm comfortable telling. But, I trust you all." He took a breath to prepare. "My parents were Terqua Uzumaki and Kiara Shiba. They were Anbu of Mizu and were sent on an assassination mission when I was three. That was 14 years ago. They were gone for a couple of weeks before the largest messenger bird of Mizu came to my home holding a large sack. In said sack, were the decapitated heads of my parents. And that wasn't all. There was a scroll with a note that said:

'To whom it may concern,

You have probably already seen the heads of the poor shinobi that you sent my way. I'm pleased to let you know that they actually gave me a decent challenge. I was even impressed that one had a bloodline! Sadly, the man was dead before I could give him my little gift of power. A shame, really. His body would have been a most splendid host. Next time you send assassins after_ me_, make sure they know exactly who they're dealing with.

Orochimaru'

Ever since that day, I've made it my goal in life to take down that bastard and give myself some closure. I don't think I can completely move on until I accomplish that."

Mei was saddened at Koda's story. She already knew but felt as if there was nothing she could do for him. Naruto was sympathetic with him because he too was alone in life. Sarutobi and Anko were shocked and angry. They couldn't believe that it was _Orochimaru_ of all people that killed Koda's parents and they were enraged that he was still attempting to give his _Curse Mark Technique_ to others in order to achieve his "perfect body". Koda was shaking in rage and tears were trailing down his cheeks from having to relive his parents' deaths. Anko noticed this and embraced him in a hug. She started to tell him her past as well because the feeling to tell someone was growing too strong and Koda seemed to be the right person to tell.

"You're not the only one whose life was destroyed by that fucker of a snake. Remember the snake I wanted to kill?" Koda nods. "That _monster_ was who I was referring to. He gave me one of his so called 'gifts' years ago. That 'gift' is nothing more than a _Curse Mark _that gives a recipient power in exchange for their soul to become corrupted. Mine isn't as strong since it's incomplete, but my life as a kunoichi is much harder because of it. Since you have just as much reason to kill him as I do, I wanna help you when you feel ready to do so. Will you let me help you?"

Koda was shocked that all of that happened to Anko. To have a mark of such corrupt energy on you seemed so unfair. With eyes full of determination, he looked at Anko and said, "I wouldn't want it any other way. Let's take that snake bastard down Anko. And Naruto?" Said person turns to Koda. "I'll be needing your support on this as well. I want my family to take down this bastard, so that means that you and Anko are gonna help me take him on. Are you with me?"

Not even hesitating, Naruto responded, "I'm with you all the way Koda. Nee-chan and I will do whatever it takes to help you take him down. That's what family is for right?"

"Right. Thank you; both of you."

They both nodded and smiled at him. No matter what happens, no matter how tough it will be, they will stick together and take Orochimaru down. After all, they were family, and family stick together through the simplest and the toughest of times.

'I won't let anymore harm come to my family!' was the oath they all made that day.

(End)

And that's the end of Chpt 3.

(1)If you can't figure it out, it's blood bending. Mixing the water in the human body with its blood allows benders to control humans as if they were puppets. Source: Avatar, season 3 Fire, episode "The Puppet Master"

What did you think? Sorry about the late update. My computer was down for a few days and just came back online. I'll try and make sure it stays at 100% from now on. Please rate and review. I look forward to your responses.

This is pain17ification, over and out!


	4. Chapter 4: Interests and Hopefuls

Hey guys! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter "Bond of the Uzumaki". Naruto and Koda admit to their romantic interests in this chapter. 3 OCs are also introduced. They have little importance. Let's get it on!

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto! (Damn it…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Biju speech"**

'**Biju thought/mental speech'**

"_Jutsu_"

(Author Note)

Scene change/Chapter name

Chpt 4: Interests and the Chunin Hopefuls

After the emotional bonding that the Uzumaki and Anko had, the boys left the office and were walking down the streets of Konoha. Naruto was told by everyone in the office about the Chunin Exams since he missed the meeting with Kakashi and his team. To say he was excited was like saying he thought ramen was alright; it was just plain idiotic. He couldn't contain his eagerness at the prospect of becoming a Chunin. He decided to head to Ichiraku's Ramen to tell the Ichiraku family the news and to also introduce them to Koda.

"So, where are we headed?" asked Koda.

"Just a little stand that serves the best food ever," Naruto responded as nonchalantly as he possibly could.

"Oh! They serve dango?"

That question froze Naruto in his tracks. "…What?"

When Naruto suddenly stopped, it left Koda confused. "I asked if they serve dango. Do they?"

Suddenly, Naruto looked at Koda in shock. "How the hell could you think that _dango_ is the 'best food ever'? Did Anko-neechan get to you?"

"…Huh?"

"Dango is neechan's favorite food. She made one of her secret goals in life to convert as many people as possible into dango-lovers. Did she get to you too?"

"Uh… No. They had dango stands in Mizu, you know? I grew to like dango there. And is she serious about that 'secret goal' of hers?"

"Yup," Naruto deadpanned.

"Well, at least she aims big. Hmm… Sexy, smart, and an over-achieving kunoichi to boot. I think I might have found the girl for me."

This shocked Naruto more than the dango ordeal. "What? You think that _neechan_ is the 'girl for you'? Are you insane?"

Koda just shrugged. "Maybe I am. She seems pretty crazy herself. If we ever got together, at least we wouldn't be bored."

Naruto's look of shock never left as he just kept walking towards Ichiraku's. "I can't believe you're crushing on my neechan. I'm at a loss for words."

"Ah, don't worry too much about it. Think of it this way: we are practically brothers due to our clan name, so if I get together with Anko, I could be your brother officially," Koda said with a grin. The grin became more mischievous when he asked, "So, you got any love interests of your own?"

Naruto blushed at this. "I… I don't know. I mean everyone thinks that I 'love' Sakura, but that was just another part of my 'mask'. I don't really like her that much. She's a real bitch anyway. I guess if I really liked anyone it would have to be my friend, Hinata. She's real nice and considerate, but her dad is head of her clan, and the Hyuuga don't particularly like 'diluting' the blood of their clan. Even our friendship has been kept a secret." He had a somber look at the end of his confession.

"Wow… That's rough, buddy," Koda said. "Does she know?"

Naruto shook his head negatively. "I never told her. I didn't want to get her hopes up, especially with her dad being who he is politically. I don't wanna cause any problems."

They made it to the ramen stand by the time Naruto finished that statement. Seeing the stand made Naruto cheer up a little, so he smiled as he walked in. Koda saw that part of the smile was strained and couldn't help but feel bad. 'This village should be holding you in high regard for holding the Kyubi at bay, yet they shun you and deny you what you truly desire. They do not deserve your kindness Naruto, yet you give it to them anyway. You are truly a young man with a heart of gold, my cursed cousin.'

When they walked into the stand, they saw Ayame Ichiraku cleaning their counter with a smile on her face. When she looked up and saw Naruto she smiled brightly. Then she saw Koda and was somewhat confused as to why a Mizu nin was hanging out with Naruto. "Hey, Naruto! How are you?"

"I'm doing fine, Ayame. I'm just showing Koda here around the village."

"Oh… Nice to meet you. I'm Ayame Ichiraku, daughter and assistant chef to the head chef, Teuchi."

Koda smiled at her and said, "Nice to meet you, as well."

"So, what can I get you two?"

"Three bowls of miso and one beef," Naruto said happily.

"Um, I'll have two beef, please."

Ayame wrote down the orders and went to the back to tell her father. When she came back, Naruto immediately said, "Hey, Ayame, I'm gonna take the Chunin Exams tomorrow! Koda is too."

"Wow, already? Hasn't it only been like three months since you became Genin?"

"Yeah, but don't worry. I bet that I'll do just fine."

Koda chose this moment to speak up. "It's good to be confident, but these exams aren't gonna be a simple cake walk, Naruto. I've heard stories of the exams from some of the Chunin back at Mizu, and they all said that it was pretty intense. If I were you, I'd make sure I was damn well prepared for these exams, or else you could wind up getting hurt; or worse."

Naruto paled a little at that. "You serious? Are the exams really that tough?"

"Yup. The exams are no joke. I'm not trying to scare you; I'm just trying to get you into the right mentality for this. I don't want my recently discovered cousin to get himself hurt due to underestimating these exams."

"Wait a minute! You two are cousins?" Ayame asked in shock.

"Yeah, we just found out today actually," Naruto said. "And don't worry, Koda. I'll make sure to take this seriously."

"Good."

Teuchi then came out with their orders. They introduced Koda again and Koda heard stories of the blonde's pranking days. They had a good laugh at that and Koda saw the bonds that Naruto had with the Ichiraku family. They seemed to be the father and another sister that Naruto never had. It made Koda smile at the love he saw between them and he gave a silent thanks to Kami for giving Naruto some form of family. After they left the stand, Naruto and Koda went separate ways and promised to see each other the next day.

Konoha Academy the next day

Naruto's teammates were waiting for their blonde team member. They were confused at why Naruto never showed up for their team meeting the other day but didn't really think about it too much. They then saw their teammate heading towards them and with him was that Koda guy from the other day. They were wondering what happened between them yesterday that made them seem so friendly with each other today. Just looking at them walking, telling jokes, and laughing at the other's comments made them curious. They were broken out of their thoughts when Naruto spoke up getting their attention.

"Hey, guys. Are you ready for the exams?"

"Hmph, what do you think, dobe?" the Uchiha responded smugly.

"Yeah, I think so…" their female teammate responded. They could all see the fact that she was nervous.

'It's good that she's nervous. These exams are no joke from what I've heard,' Koda thought. Still, he tried to ease her fears a little. "Don't worry so much. I'm sure that you'll do okay. The exams may be hard, but you guys seem like you'll do just fine."

Sakura had a look of gratitude on her face, Sasuke looked smug as usual, and Naruto just kept smiling with confidence. "Thank you, Koda-san," Sakura said.

He gave her a small smile. "No problem."

They walked in and reached the second floor. On one of the doors was the number "301" which was the room number they were to go to. Koda saw the shimmering light around the door and immediately noticed the genjutsu over it. He whispered his discovery into Naruto's ear and Naruto nodded in understanding.

"Let us in!" yelled a boy in a hideous green spandex, a serious bowl cut hairstyle, and freakishly large eyebrows. With him was a girl in a pink, Chinese styled shirt, blue pants and sandals, and her hair styled in two buns on her head. Next to them was a boy with long brown hair, pale eyes, a white shirt, brown shorts and bandages covering his right arm and leg.

The 'Genin' guarding the door snorted and said, "These exams are way too tough for little rookies such as you. Why don't you quit while you still can?"

"Please, let us in," the girl pleaded.

The other 'Genin' guard shook his head and said, "You really don't get it do you? People die in these exams. We're doing you guys a favor by stopping you from taking them."

"Drop the genjutsu," Sasuke said. "You two are pathetic if you think that your simple genjutsu would stop _me_. You noticed it too, right Sakura?"

Said girl was shocked that Sasuke acknowledged her and pointed out something she already noticed. 'Thank you, Sasuke-kun.' "Yeah, I noticed it the moment I saw the sign on the door."

Koda face-palmed and just left the group heading towards the stairs. He paused at the bottom step, turned back to Team 7, and said, "Your teammates are pretty stupid, Naruto. They just pointed out something that was obviously meant to weed out the Chunin wannabes." He shook his head in disappointment and said to Naruto's teammates, "I hope you got the skills to back up your arrogance. Otherwise, you'll lose before the exams are over." And with that, he headed up the stairs leaving an enraged Sasuke, an irritated Sakura, and a snickering Naruto. Naruto left his teammates and headed up the stairs and Sasuke and Sakura followed not long after.

"Well, that Mizu nin seemed pretty smart," the bun-haired girl said.

"Indeed. Fate seems to have granted that shinobi with incredible wisdom," the pale-eyed boy said.

"Yosh! His flames of youth are indeed burning brightly!" exclaimed the green spandex wearing boy. "He seems like a most worthy opponent."

Outside the REAL Room 301

Kakashi was waiting for his students. It was his job to make sure that _all_ of the members of Team 7 wished to take the exams. If even _one_ did not wish to take the exams, then all the members could not take the exams. He was simply waiting when Koda came up and leaned on the wall opposite the one he was leaning on. Kakashi looked up from his little orange book and eyed Koda. The strange thing was that he looked somewhat like an older, different color-schemed Naruto. This confused Kakashi and he decided to talk to the Hokage about it. He was broken out of his thoughts when he saw his Genin team coming up. He eye-smiled (the "eye-smile" is owned by _Kakashi Hatake Inc._ I do not own it) at them and said, "Well, I'm glad that you all wished to take the exams; especially you, Sakura."

"Wait, why me?"

"If you didn't wish to take the exams, then the others wouldn't have been able to. So what I'm saying is that I'm glad that you showed up; at least for their sakes."

Sakura was shocked that she could've crushed the hopes of becoming Chunin for Sasuke and Naruto. She was glad that she didn't, otherwise Sasuke would have been royally pissed off at her.

"Well then, my Genin team, I wish you all luck." Kakashi gave them a thumbs-up and watched Koda smile towards them as well. "And who are you?"

"Me? I'm Naruto's recently discovered cousin, Koda. Nice to meet ya, Kakashi-san."

This shocked Kakashi, but he didn't show it. He didn't know that his sensei, Minato or Kushina had any relatives. "What's your surname?"

"Uzumaki, why? Did you happen to know any other Uzumaki besides Naruto?" Koda asked giving Kakashi a calculating look that said, 'I hope you're ready to give some serious answers.'

"Hai. I knew someone by the name of Kushina."

"So, you knew who Naruto's mother was and you didn't say anything?" Koda asked in pure anger.

"W-what are talking about?" Kakashi was nervous now.

"Kushina Uzumaki was my mother along with Minato Namikaze," Naruto said making Kakashi sweat. "You knew them? You mean that all this time you knew who they were and you never told me? I asked you once and you lied right to my face!"

"You guys have an exam to take," Kakashi said quickly and left in a hurried _Body Flicker_ leaving an angry Naruto and Koda and a confused Sasuke and Sakura.

"Come on, Naruto. We can kick his ass for answers later."

"*sigh* Alright, Koda," Naruto agreed, reluctantly. And with that, they went inside followed by Naruto's other teammates.

Inside Room 301

The four walked in and saw all of the other Chunin hopefuls spread throughout the room. Koda smirked in confidence along with Naruto and Sasuke while Sakura unconsciously gulped in fear. They were interrupted from the stare down by a yell.

"Yahoo! We found you!" exclaimed Kiba Inuzuka, a Genin with a grey, fur hoodie, blue pants and a small, white puppy resting on his head. Next to him was Shino Aburame who was dressed in a high-collar jacket, tan pants, and sunglasses. Next to them was Hinata Hyuuga, Naruto's friend and crush, who was dressed in a cream hoodie, blue pants, and blue hair in a "hime" style. They were Team 8. She looked at Naruto with a small blush and he smiled at her.

"Troublesome…" muttered the ever-lazy Shikamaru Nara, a Genin with a fishnet shirt under a grey shirt, brown pants, and a pineapple-style hairstyle. Next to him was his best friend and teammate, Choji Akamichi who was dressed in a green shirt, tan shorts, and a scarf with the kanji for "food" on it.

Sasuke suddenly felt weight on his back and heard the shriek of "Sasuke-kun" from Team 10's last and only female member, Ino Yamanaka. She was dressed in a purple halter top, a purple skirt, and some bandage-like clothing surrounding her stomach and back. She, like Sakura, was a _serious_ Sasuke fan-girl.

Sakura wasn't happy with Ino's current position. "Ino-pig, get off of Sasuke-kun!"

"Make me!" Ino gave Sakura a raspberry in response.

"Geez, could you guys be any louder?" asked a silver haired Genin. He was in an all-purple outfit and he wore glasses. (No idea how to describe his outfit. Hopefully you've seen the show or read the manga)

"And who are you supposed to be?" asked the Uchiha.

"My name is Kabuto Yakushi. And I guess I could say that I'm the go-to guy for these exams, seeing as this is my 7th time taking them."

Kiba laughed at him while Koda nodded his head in agreement. He then noticed a flash of blue and headed towards it. He saw that the "flash" came from his friend's blue scabbard. He smiled when he saw her. (The interaction between the rookies and Kabuto is canon. Sasuke doesn't ask about Koda because he believes that Koda is inferior)

"Hey, Lethe, I didn't know you'd be here."

Said girl turned around and immediately smiled at Koda. This was Lethe Karina, a Mizu Genin under the command of Koda's old sensei, Akira Sotoya. She had brown hair, green eyes, and wore a black battle kimono. She also had a sword sheathed in its scabbard on her back. Next to her was a boy named Jack Sotoya, Akira's son who wore a black, long-sleeved shirt, dark blue pants, a black bandana covering his light blue hair, and black eyes. Akira was cool with Koda but Jack seemed to hold a serious grudge against Koda. Next to them was their last member who also smiled at Koda. She was Elena Adalynn and she wore a black trench coat over a blood red shirt, black pants and had a bow and quiver on her back. She had black hair and bright blue eyes.

The two girls ran to Koda and hugged him. Lethe said, "It's good to see you again, niisan. I missed you."

"Me too, niisan," Elena added. When Koda helped out at the orphanage at Mizugakure, he really bonded with Lethe and Elena to the point that they viewed him as an older brother. They helped Koda begin to break off from his depression and he is eternally grateful towards them.

"So, Akira-sensei allowed you to come and participate?"

"Yeah, he did. I'm so excited! We have a chance to become Chunin!" exclaimed Lethe. She was always the more excitable of the two. Elena had a little more self control over her excitement. "Hey, niisan, where's your team?"

"Oh, I'm alone in this exam. Hokage-sama even gave me the okay to do so."

"Yeah, right. I bet he just took pity on the fact that you're all alone in this exam," came the smug reply of Jack. He never liked Koda because he always made Jack look bad. (Who does that sound like?)

"Whatever you say, Jack. I know the truth since I was there. What about you?"

"What _about_ me?"

"Are you still getting your ass saved by the girls?" Koda asked while the girls stifled their laughter. Jack was not amused and was about to rectify this embarrassment before there was a large puff of smoke and a large number of Konoha higher-ups were seen appearing from it. In front of them all was a grizzly looking man with scars on his face. He was the head of Konoha's I&T Dept., Ibiki Morino. His attire consisted of a black, bandana-style headband, a dark blue shirt, black pants, dark boots, a black trench coat, and black gloves. All-in-all, he looked extremely intimidating.

"Alright, you maggots! It's now time to begin the Chunin Exams!" he yelled. "I assure you, you all are in for a living hell."

Koda smirked at that and thought, 'Well, this oughta be interesting.'

(End)

And that's the end of Chpt 4. Well, the Chunin Exams are gonna begin next chapter. The OCs will play a role STRICTLY for the Exams for the pre-shippuden era. In the shippuden era, they will return. Rate and Review.

This is pain17ification, over and out!


	5. Chapter 5: Written Test

Hey guys! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter "Bond of the Uzumaki". We begin the Chunin Exams…NOW!

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto! (Damn it…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Biju speech"**

'**Biju thought/mental speech'**

"_Jutsu_"

(Author Note)

Scene change/Chapter name

Chpt 5: The Written Test

After Ibiki scared most of the participants with his entrance, he explained that each Genin would be given a number and was told to sit in a seat with their number on it. Most of the Rookie 9, Team Gai, the Suna Trio, the Mizu Trio, and Koda were not sitting with someone they knew. Naruto and Hinata were actually assigned to sit right next to each other. They were relieved at that but they both felt somewhat awkward due to their crushes with each other. They decided to put that aside in favor of the test.

"Alright, listen up! This is the first part of the Exam!" Ibiki called out and began writing on the chalkboard. When he finished writing the board stated:

Teams start out with 30 points (10 points each)

Team members must answer the 10 Written Test Questions

For each incorrect/incomplete answer, the examinee loses 1 point

If caught cheating, an examinee loses 2 points

If an examinee loses all 10 of their points, they** and **their teammates fail

Failure to answer a single question is an automatic fail

"Do you all understand these rules I have given you?" Ibiki asked. "If you don't understand, ask for clarification now!"

Temari raised her hand and asked, "So, we have to answer questions and try not to lose points? That's it?"

Ibiki chuckled and said, "It may not be as simple as you think. I may throw something else in here-or-there." This caused many examinees to gulp and pale a little. "Now then, you have 9 questions on your test papers. I'll give you the 10th at the end of the 45 min mark of your 1 hour test. Keep your eyes peeled, maggots and begin!"

With that, everyone immediately turned over their tests and began to work. Sakura was easily able to answer 6 of the questions easily and attempt the 3 others. Sasuke was able to answer a few but not many. Naruto, due to the skills he hid behind his 'mask', was in the same boat as Sasuke.

Hinata was able to answer almost as many as Sakura due to her studies and academic knowledge. Kiba was a nervous wreck because of the difficult questions. Shino answered about 3 easily, had difficulty answering 1, and couldn't answer the rest.

Shikamaru, being the lazy genius that he is, answered almost all of them easily and then fell asleep quickly. Choji was able to answer only 1 but even that single one gave him some difficulty. Ino, while a fan-girl, answered about as much as Naruto and Sasuke, only a little more.

Temari was like Shikamaru, only she wasn't lazy. She was able to easily answer many of the questions with little trouble. Kankuro had trouble, but he was able to answer about 2 or 3. Gaara just sat in his seat, with his eyes closed, like a statue.

Rock Lee was able to answer about 2 and couldn't even attempt the others. Neji Hyuuga, Hinata's cousin, was able to answer about 4. And Tenten Hagane(1), the female member of Team Gai, was able to answer about as much as Lee.

Lethe was able to answer about 4 questions due to late night studies with Elena. Elena was able to answer about 5 and was able to at least attempt a 6th. Jack was only able to answer 2 and attempt 2 others.

Koda was able to answer 7 of the questions, due to being older than the others and having more experience. The other 2 were attempted, but not completely answered. He began to look around the room and he noticed that at least two participants had an aura of confidence and superiority. One of the two was a row ahead of him and had a completely filled out test paper. 'What's up with this guy? He seems way too confident and relaxed for this. Wait, the board said that we only lose two points for cheating and I see many others attempting to do just that. Is the point **to** cheat and just try and get away with it, or is it more complex than that?'

While Koda was trying to figure out his discovery, the rest of the rookies (except Shikamaru and Gaara) discovered what he had and began their test taking with one solution in mind: cheat without getting caught. Well that was easier said than done because they noticed that some participants were being escorted out due to "too many times caught cheating". They knew that they had to be extra careful.

Sakura felt comfortable and just left her test alone. Sasuke utilized his Sharingan to copy the movements of people in front of him. Naruto made a cross-seal underneath the desk and made a _Transformed Shadow Clone_ in the likeliness of a fly. He then had the fly go around and look at the answers.

Hinata was just as comfortable as Sakura and left her test alone. Kiba had his ninken, Akamaru, give him the answers with a series of low barks that he was able to understand. Shino, like Naruto, used a fly to get his answers.

Shikamaru was still asleep. Choji had to wait for Ino's plan to take effect. Ino's plan was to use her _Mind Transfer Jutsu_ on Sakura, memorize the answers quickly, and then relay her answers to Choji.

Temari just relaxed and went over her already answered questions. Kankuro used the "I have to go to the restroom" excuse and had his puppet, Crow, who was disguised as an examiner, escort him. Crow was writing down answers that it spotted before it was used to escort Kankuro out. Gaara was still sitting still, but had his _Third Eye_ made of sand activated and sent it out to look for answers.

Lee was able to get his answers from Tenten by the use of her mirrors that she hung on the ceiling with ninja wire. Neji used his Byakugan in the same manner as Sasuke. Tenten was obviously using her mirrors to see the answers.

Lethe used her cat-like bloodline(2) to look out for her answers. Elena used her _Ice Style _bloodline (she has the bloodline on her mother's side) to make an _Ice Mirror_ like Tenten used her mirrors. Jack did not have a bloodline to use, so he cheated the old fashioned way: look and copy. He was not caught, miraculously.

Koda was as comfortable with his results as he could get.

Suddenly they reached the 45 min mark. Kankuro also walked in just in time. "Well, I'm glad to see your time playing with _dolls_ wasn't wasted," Ibiki stated.

'Does he know?' thought a now nervous Kankuro.

"Never mind. Just get back to your seat kid." After Kankuro sat, he continued. "Now then I'm gonna add a few new rules before I state the 10th question." He was rewarded with cries of outrage. "SHUT UP! This is my test to give, so **I **make the rules, understand? Now then the rules are simple. 1: You may choose to **not** take the question, but this will mean you fail."

"Then we're obviously gonna take it!" a random participant yelled.

"Yes, that **is** obvious. However, the second rule is: should you take it, and incorrectly answer it, you are banned from taking another Chunin Exam again!" The looks of shock, fear, and hopelessness were priceless in Ibiki's eyes. "Now then, will you accept this question?"

It took a little bit, but not too long for many teams to quit and leave. Soon there were about half as many participants left from the beginning. Ibiki tried one more time to see if any more would quit before Naruto and Koda of all people stood up. Team 7 and the Mizu Trio were shocked at this, but no one saw the looks of determination hidden behind their bangs. When they looked up, Ibiki actually flinched from the fire in their eyes.

"Just give us the damned question already, Scarface!" Naruto yelled.

"There's no way in hell I'm gonna fail!" Koda continued.

Then they yelled together, "Even if we can't be Chunin, we'll still be the best damned shinobi we can be! No matter what it takes!"

There outburst actually restored the fire in the rest of the eyes of the participants. Ibiki could only smile and say, "Well then, congratulations! You all have passed the first part of the Chunin Exams!"

"What do you mean? What about the 10th question?" asked Sakura.

"There was no 10 question. It was a simple take or not take situation; something not uncommon in the life of a Chunin." Ibiki then removed his bandana, showing all of the signs of torture he went through: burn marks, slashed scars, drill holes, and cracked skin. "In a mission, you may have to choose between taking a mission that will no doubt make you have casualties, or not take the mission and live to fight another day without casualties. Being a Chunin, it will be up to you to make these decisions for your squad. But, I'm not too worried about you guys. Most of you, at just one glance, are easily Chunin material in my eyes."

Most of the participants had smiles on their faces from the praise. Then, a black bundle crashed through the window and exploded in a large plume of smoke. When it cleared, Anko was standing in front of a banner that said "Proctor for Second Exam: Anko Mitarashi".

"Alright, you little brats! This is no time to celebrate, for the 2nd Exam begins now!" she yelled out.

Koda and Naruto instantly smirked and thought, 'This is getting good!'

(End)

(1)Hagane = Steel. Do I really need to explain why I chose** that** as her last name?

(2)Lethe's bloodline is similar to Kiba's _All Fours Jutsu_. The only differences are that it is feline based and it weaker but more graceful while the _All Fours Jutsu_ is stronger but more rigid.

And that's the end of Chpt 5. What did you think? The Forest of Death is next. Koda's weapon along with Naruto's will be revealed, along with a little surprise. Please rate and review. I hope to receive decent remarks. Thanks!

This is pain17ification, over and out!


	6. Chapter 6: FoD Pt1

Hey guys! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter "Bond of the Uzumaki". We begin the Forest of Death…NOW!

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto! (Damn it…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Biju speech"**

'**Biju thought/mental speech'**

"_Jutsu_"

(Author Note)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 6: Forest of Death Pt 1

Anko eyed the remaining participants from the written test and was surprised at the amount left. She wasn't surprised when she saw the Uzumaki boys in the room, though. She then turned to Ibiki and said, "You're losing your touch Ibiki. I mean, look at the amount of teams you passed! What the hell?"

He merely chuckled and said, "Maybe we have a group with some true potential this time."

She scoffed at that remark and said, "Yeah, well they're gonna be cut it down by half when I'm through with them." Most of the Genin paled at that. "Well, don't just sit there! Come with me."

Outer Gates of the Forest of Death

The Chunin hopefuls reached the gates of a blocked off forest. The trees from said forest were absolutely massive. Anko couldn't help but laugh at the looks of shock on most of the Genin's faces. "Welcome to Training Field #44; otherwise known as the Forest of Death (just to make it easier, I'll call it FoD). This is where your second exam will take place. To put it simply, the second exam is a beefed up, ninja-style 'Capture the Flag'. You will be given one of these two scrolls," she showed them two different scrolls, "and you will try and steal the one that you do not have from a team that has it. You will then take both scrolls to the tower located in the **exact** center of this forest. You will have a total of 120 hours to do this. Exactly 5 days."

Choji paled and screamed, "Five days? But what do we do for food?"

"It's a forest, you dumbass! There's plenty of food to forage. Now before we continue, Koda Uzumaki, step forward!" Koda was a little surprised that he was called, but he went to the front anyway. "Now then, because you are your own team," most grew shocked at this, "you will have to be given a higher test standard in order to pass. So, you will be given this scroll." Anko then handed him a scroll with the kanji for "life" on it. "In order to pass, you will need to **hang on** to that scroll **as well as** get the other two scrolls. Basically you will need the heaven, earth, and life scrolls in order to pass. And to the rest of the Genin teams, his 'life' scroll will act as a wild card for the rest of you. Do you understand how important your scroll is, Koda?"

Koda nodded. "Yeah, I understand. This should be fun."

Instantly, Anko was right behind Koda, who had a small cut on his cheek. He saw a kunai in Anko's hand and she licked some of the blood off his cheek. "Overconfidence will get you killed and spread your delicious blood, Koda**-kun**. I'd be careful if I were you."

Koda smirked and applied chakra to his cheek, instantly healing his cut. "Oh, don't worry about me Anko**-chan**. I'll be just fine. I can't die until I get the woman I want after all."

"Oh, and who would that be?"

"Someone with a thing for dango and blood." He then walked back to the stunned crowd, leaving behind a shocked Anko. She knew exactly who he meant, but she was surprised that he meant **herself** of all people. She smiled as she handed out the waivers needed to take the test. Koda then went up to Naruto and said while passing him, "Time to drop the mask. Trust me."

Naruto was unsure at first but then decided that Koda was right. Rolling back his left sleeve, a seal design was seen on his forearm. He bit his right thumb and spread the blood on the seal, releasing a katana that, from tip to handle, was about 4 and ½ feet (Naruto is 5'7"). The blade was a beautiful silver color, the guard was in a double-crescent style, and the handle was decorated in a red cloth that was wrapped in a crisscross pattern. He stared at his sword and said quietly, even though his teammates heard him, "It feels good to hold you again, Benitsuki (1)." He then sheathed his sword and went with his team to get their waivers and scroll.

Once all the teams had their scrolls, they each went up to a separate gate to wait for the starting signal. Anko threw up a kunai with an exploding tag, and when it exploded in midair, the Genin rushed into the FoD and the test was on.

With Team 7

Immediately after racing through the gate, Sasuke assumed command by saying, "Alright, we need codenames just in case we're captured and someone tries to impersonate us." They both nodded. "Okay, I'll be named Taka (hawk). Sakura, you'll be named Hana (blossom), and Naruto, you'll be named Kitsune (fox). Understand?" They nodded again and Team 7 continued to race through the forest trying to find any other teams.

With Team 8

Hinata followed Kiba and Shino, Byakugan ablaze, as they traversed through the forest. Their plan was to have Kiba, with his superior nose, in front. Shino, the strongest of the team, was in the middle holding onto their scroll. She was to stay behind and keep an eye out for enemy ambushes. Not long after they entered the FoD, about a couple hours tops, they heard a scream and went to investigate. They saw a team dead, with their bodies covered in large leeches. Shino used his bugs to get them off the bodies and Team 8 checked them. With luck given only by the devil, they found the scroll that they needed and headed off toward the tower.

With Team 9 (Gai)

Team 9, being a year older than the Rookie 9 of Konoha, had some experience in forest terrain and easily found some shelter for the exams. They decided to split up in order to cover more ground and have a better chance at finding the scroll they needed. Neji decided to hold on to the scroll since he could spot ambushes with his Byakugan. They shot off in different directions and got to work.

With Team 10

The Ino-Shika-Cho group continued through the forest trying to find shelter to set up a base camp of sorts. It wasn't particularly hard since there were many hollowed out trees, but they had to find one that wasn't too obvious or open. They were in for a long first day.

With the Suna Trio

After a brief "fight" (*cough* slaughter *cough*) with a group of Ame nin, Gaara decided to go out deeper into the forest in order to quench his need for the decimation of others. He left his siblings stating that he would meet them at the tower. It was no surprise that they were relieved to be away from Gaara for a bit. They decided to make their base camp near the tower and wait until Gaara's return.

With the Mizu Trio

Lethe was ahead of the group in order to sniff out any potential targets or threats. Jack was in the middle, seeing as he had no bloodline limit or weapon specialty. Elena was in the back to offer ranged support with her arrows and _Ice Style_ jutsu. So far they had no luck in finding any teams.

With Koda

Koda decided to set up camp near a river. Since he had the "wild card" scroll, he figured that he would see challengers in no time. He pulled out a scroll and unsealed a chakram in order to better protect himself. This chakram had a cross style handle in its center, a sharp metal ring, and many spikes along the ring (think Axel's chakram in KH2, only instead of red coloring, it is a navy blue). On the handle was a seal that had an attachment to a matching "sister seal" underneath the bandages on Koda's right hand. These seals were summoning seals used to call back the chakram should it get lost or stuck somewhere. Now he just had to wait.

About 7 hours later (Orochimaru just finished giving Sasuke the _Curse Mark_)

Koda was jerked awake to the sounds of screaming, but the voice sounded terribly familiar. He then sensed a terribly **dark **chakra being leaked out somewhere up ahead in the forest. Sealing away his "life" scroll and the "earth" scroll he took from a foolish Iwa team, Koda then performed handsigns, bit his thumb, and slammed his hand on the ground with a cry of "_Summoning Jutsu_!" From the smoke came a large armored creature. It stood easily at 7 feet tall and had its white fur covered in certain parts by black armor. The creature was a polar bear summon named Kyota. She was a personal summon and friend to Koda, as well as the one he found holding the Polar Bear Summoning Contract.

"Koda! What is the reason you summoned me?"

"I just felt a dark chakra source being leaked out. I know you have superior smelling to me, so I summoned you to help me locate the chakra source."

She nodded. "Very well. I will start my search." She began to sniff the air and, after a couple seconds, she locked onto the chakra and began to head towards it with Koda not too far behind.

With Anko vs. Orochimaru

Anko was in serious trouble. She just tried to use her _Snake Forbidden Art: Double Suicide_ on Orochimaru but he was just a _Mud Clone_ the entire time. After the failed attempt, he activated the torture part of her _Curse Mark_ and she was unable to move due to the pain. He pulled out a kunai and slowly walked towards her vulnerable form. "Kukukuku… My dear Anko, did you honestly believe that you had a chance to beat **me**? Your teacher? Your master?"

'Fuck, this damn thing hurts! Is this the end?' she thought. "Fuck you, you damn snake! I swear to Kami above that I will **end** you, Orochimaru!" She tried valiantly to stand, but the pain from the _Curse Mark_ was too much and she couldn't get up. 'Damn… I'm sorry everyone.'

"_Water Style: Raging Water Spiral_!" came a shout and out of the trees, a spiraling tendril of water came racing towards Orochimaru, who was forced to jump back. Koda was seen landing in front of Anko, chakram in hand, with Kyota right behind him. She stood on her hind paws to appear more intimidating. "Leave her alone, you damn snake! Your fight is with me!"

"Kukukuku… And who are you, child?"

"Me? I'm just a man looking for closure. And that closure will be found with your death!" He performed a quick series of handsigns and held out his chakram. The spikes soon gained an electric charge and Koda reared his arm back. With a shout of "_Lightening Style: Thundering Orbit_", he launched the chakram which crashed through the trees, making a boom of thunder with every hit.

The weapon reached Orochimaru quickly and it almost hit him if he didn't pull of a successful _Substitution_ to avoid damage. He then had to immediately avoid the claws of Kyota along with several water whips that came from Koda. Orochimaru was surprised that the water responded without any handsigns, until he remembered fighting a man who pulled off the exact same thing about 14 years ago. Eyes widened in realization, he kicked Kyota away and launched his _Striking Shadow Snakes_ at Koda, who barely dodged due to their incredible speed. Orochimaru then smirked at Koda and asked, "Tell me child, are you related to a poor fool who utilzed the water like you do but died at my hand 14 years ago?"

"He was my father," Koda responded, his eyes burning with rage.

"Ah, so this is about vengeance, is it?"

"You're damn right it is."

"Hmhmhm… Such a shame. I would have to admit that you are skilled, but unfortunately, due to your immense anger, I'm afraid that I won't be able to witness your full strength. I'm afraid that I will have to cut this short and take my leave from here. As a token of my appreciation for this interesting info, I will allow Anko to live." He then ended the torture Anko was experiencing, and left the area by sinking into the ground.

Kyota sniffed the air but then slowly shook her head. "He's gone. I can't smell his scent anywhere."

"Thanks Kyota. It looks like Anko-chan passed out from the pain. I'll take her to the tower up ahead. Thanks for all your help today."

"You are most welcome." And with that, she dismissed herself.

Koda lifted Anko up bridal style and headed for the tower. He didn't bother to jump through the trees, for he had a unique method of travel. It involved having a thin layer of water constantly under his boots that allowed him to propel himself forward in a skating like manner. It was much faster in his opinion and he utilized its speed to the fullest. Anko woke up somewhat during the ride. She looked around, confused. "Don't worry," Koda stated, "he left. We'll get him next time. You just rest Anko-chan. You're really weak from the _Curse Mark_ right now."

She nodded and just relaxed in his arms. She felt safe with him; like all of her defenses just went down around him. She knew why, but she was shocked that she already had this feeling toward him. She looked at his face and saw the look of pure determination; determination to get **her** to safety. She smiled and thought, 'Maybe he could be the one. I guess time will only tell.'

Central Forest Tower

They reached the tower and were immediately surrounded by medics and Anbu. Koda told them that he would take her to the medic bay and the medics allowed him to do so, escorting him along the way. He placed Anko on the hospital bed in a sitting position and she gave him a silent thank you. When he turned to leave, she grabbed his hand and he looked back at her. She then pulled him to her and mashed her lips onto his. His eyes widened in shock but he returned the kiss after a few seconds. It wasn't too long; just long enough to get her point of gratitude across. They separated and she smiled at him and said, "Thanks for coming to my rescue. I'll never forget this."

He smiled warmly at her and responded, "Anytime, Anko-chan. Anytime." He then left saying, "Well, I have a test to finish. Get better, okay? I don't wanna lose you."

A lone tear of happiness fell from her eyes, which Koda thankfully didn't notice. "I will, and you make sure to pass this exam. I don't want to see you go against Orochimaru and save me just to fail."

"I'll do my best." And with that, he left Anko who had a loving smile on her face.

"Make sure you win, Wonder Boy," she whispered to herself.

(End)

(1) Benitsuki = Crimson Moon

And that's the end of Chpt 6. What did you think? Sorry for the **really late** update, but I had family issues at home, my sister graduated from 8th Grade, and I'm trying to find out how to balance Summer school with work. As a future note: updates will be on Saturdays/Sundays from now on. And I am gonna try my hand at a Naruto/Bleach story next week also. I also found out that my story is a favorite to about 4 people! Whoever you guys are, thank you for your support for choosing this as a favorite !

FoD Pt 2 is next week. So, please rate and review. I hope to receive decent remarks. Thanks!

This is pain17ification, over and out!


	7. Chapter 7: FoD End

Hey guys! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter "Bond of the Uzumaki". We finish the Forest of Death…NOW!

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto! (Damn it…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Biju speech"**

'**Biju thought/mental speech'**

"_Jutsu_"

(Author Note)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 7: Forest of Death Pt 2

Koda left the tower in a hurry. He was worried about Naruto and his team, but he had no idea where to look for them. It was dark out and Koda decided to use that to his advantage. He remembered that, during his depression, he would hunt in the forests during the middle of the night. So, he used his past experiences to his advantage by blending into the shadows while moving at rapid, but silent, speed. He had a test to finish.

With Team 7 the next morning

Sakura was dead tired. She had stayed up all night looking after Sasuke and Naruto. Sasuke was bitten by that strange Kusa nin that was able to peel off his face. If she remembered correctly, the nin said that his name was Orochimaru. He also did a strange technique on Naruto that involved slamming his fingers on Naruto's naval. Both boys were knocked unconscious by that creepy man. This left Sakura to keep watch until one of them was able to wake up. She kept nodding off, but constantly jerked herself back to being awake. She couldn't fail them; she couldn't fail "her" Sasuke-kun.

With the Oto nin watching Team 7

Orochimaru's team from Oto kept a close eye on Team 7. They had a mission to "kill" Sasuke Uchiha, but the truth was that the snake knew that Sasuke would awaken his _Curse Mark_ and dispose of them in his power-crazed euphoria. The team of Dosu Kinuta, Kin Tsuchi, and Zaku Abumi never would have thought that they would be walking to their potential deaths. The poor pawns of the white snake were in for a shocking encounter.

With Koda

Koda was searching the area near the two teams. He had no idea that Naruto's team and the Oto team were so close to him. He would be in for an interesting experience.

With Team 7

Sakura was still keeping watch when she saw a squirrel coming closer to her. At first, she thought it was nothing, but she soon noticed that the poor creature had an exploding tag on its back. She threw a kunai at it, scaring it and making it scamper away. She then sighed in relief until she heard a voice.

"Not bad, for a lowly Konoha kunoichi."

Out of the bushes jumped out the Oto team. Sakura was immediately on guard and was prepared for anything (at least she thinks she is). Zaku was about to charge forward before Dosu held out his hand, stopping him. "Why'd you stop me?"

"Take a closer look. Previously moved dirt, grass not native to the area, tiny piles of leaves in certain spots; she has this place trapped. Poorly trapped, but trapped nonetheless." Dosu then signaled his team to charge while avoiding the obvious traps, but Sakura merely smirked and cut some ninja wire next to her. The cut wire triggered a huge log to swinging at the Oto nin, but they easily dodged the piece of lumber. When the log came swinging back, Dosu used his melody arm to blast the wood into splinters. "Not bad; but not good enough either."

With Koda

Koda heard the sound of wood breaking and snuck through the area to get a better look. He saw Sakura cornered by a team from Oto, he believed. He then noticed Sasuke and Naruto's unconscious bodies in the hollowed out tree. He decided to wait and see how this would play out. He would only step in when he had to.

Back with the attacking Oto nin

Sakura just tried to fight off the Oto team; she even cut some of her hair off to continue attacking. It was a brave effort, but in the end, she still lost. They were about to deal the ending blow when, suddenly, a green blur came out of nowhere. With a shout of "_Leaf Hurricane_", the blur knocked away the Oto team and Rock Lee was seen standing defiantly in front of them. He faced them with the squirrel from earlier on his shoulder; the animal free of the exploding tag. "What are you doing? Ganging up on a single kunoichi with a team of three is most un-youthful and uncalled for!"

"Yeah, well who asked you?" came the comeback from Zaku. "We are here for one thing and one thing only: Sasuke. We were ordered to go after Sasuke and bring his dead body to our leader."

"This test of Konoha's; it does not concern us," supplied Dosu.

"All that matters is the success of our mission," finished Kin. She then took out some senbon with bells on the ends while Zaku prepared his air cannons and Dosu got his melody arm ready.

Lee decided to follow the rule given to him by his teacher and use the _Lotus_ technique. He had someone important to protect. He charged at Zaku at insane speed, kicked him in the air and got behind him with the _Dancing Leaf Shadow_ maneuver. While in the air, he wrapped Zaku with the bandages on his arms and started to missile-drop towards the ground in a drill-like fashion. Dosu saw this and used his arm to send a sound wave to the ground, softening Zaku's harsh landing. Lee was immediately feeling the effects of the _Lotus_ and was attacked without mercy. He would have perished, if it weren't for the unexpected arrival of Team 10.

With Ino dragging her two teammates with her, she decided to save her rival and old friend, Sakura. Shika came up with a decent strategy and it helped when Zaku stupidly called Choji the most idiotic thing you can call an Akamichi: fat-ass. Shika used the distraction made by Choji's _Human Boulder_ technique to capture Dosu in his _Shadow Possession_ technique. Ino also used the distraction to capture Kin in her _Mind Transfer Jutsu_, taking over her mind and body in the process. The possessed Kin held a kunai to her neck and ordered the other Oto nin to surrender or she would be killed. Zaku merely smirked and fired his _Decapitating Airwaves_ at Kin's body, who dodged thanks to Ino. The two boys simply repeated that they were to complete a mission and that the loss of a teammate did not matter to them. Lee's team called out to them out of nowhere and would have stepped in, but Neji simply stated, "I think our assistance is no longer needed."

From the hollowed out tree, Sasuke walked out with purple chakra surrounding him and flame-like markings spread across his skin. He asked Sakura who hurt her but she was more worried about him (as usual, but in her defense she had a good reason that time). He told her not to worry and that he never felt more powerful. He repeated his question and Zaku stated that he hurt her. Sasuke immediately charged and fired his _Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu_ at Zaku who blasted his _Decapitating Airwaves_ at it, but it only revealed hidden shuriken in the flames which sliced at Zaku's skin. Sasuke was at his side in an instant and kicked him down. He then grabbed Zaku's arms from behind and planted a foot in his back until he broke Zaku's arms. He then appeared in front of Kin and easily kicked her away (luckily, Ino ended her technique after Sasuke attacked Zaku). Sasuke turned his predatory eyes on Dosu and slowly stalked towards him. Dosu, fearing for his life, laid down the "earth" scroll that Team 7 needed and offered the scroll for a safe escape. However, Sasuke was on a power-high and only wanted to end Dosu's life.

Koda, having seen enough was about to stop the avenger, but then Sakura somehow calmed him down by hugging him from behind and pleading with him to stop. The markings from the _Curse Mark_ receded and Sasuke was left to fall on his ass in complete exhaustion. Dosu took this as an okay to leave and quickly did so.

Sakura was then doting on Sasuke, after thanking Lee of course, and completely forgot about her still unconscious teammate. Koda grew angry at this and _Water Flickered_ right next to Naruto and tried to wake him. It took a little bit, but Naruto slowly stirred awake. "Hey, buddy. Welcome back to the world of the living," Koda said.

"Thanks…" Naruto responded weakly. "What happened while I was out?"

Koda then told Naruto about all that he saw and Naruto explained that Sasuke got the _Curse Mark_ from Orochimaru and showed the seal that the snake placed on his naval. Koda, having studied seals for only about a few weeks, couldn't tell what the seal was. He did know that since the seal was on the seal holding back the Kyubi that it would interfere in some way; which was **definitely** not a good thing. Koda then told Naruto what happened between the snake and Anko and that he defended her from him. He left out what happened between them in the medic bay since the fact that the snake attacked his neechan pissed off the blonde Jinchuriki.

When the Uzumaki walked out of the tree, only Team 7 was outside waiting for Naruto. Well, actually Sasuke was rubbing where the _Curse Mark_ was located and Sakura was watching him in worry. They did not seem to notice them until Naruto picked up the forgotten "earth" scroll and pocketed it along with their two "heaven" scrolls. Koda asked Naruto for the extra scroll, seeing as he had no "heaven" scrolls, and Naruto happily complied. However, he told Koda that he would only give him the scroll if he escorted Team 7 to the tower. Koda smirked at Naruto's trickery and agreed.

At the tower a couple hours later

With Team 7 escorted to the tower, Naruto handed Koda the scroll and they went their separate ways. Koda opened his scroll which revealed Mei. She was actually surprised that Koda took so long to finish the test until Koda explained what happened to Anko and Naruto. She was shocked that Orochimaru was at the exams but let Koda go. He immediately went to check on Anko.

Team 7 was greeted by Iruka Umino who explained the meaning behind the scrolls and let them go rest. They were a day early, so they had the night to rest before the next test.

Medic Bay of tower

When Koda reached the medic bay, he saw Anko getting ready to leave. When she turned and saw him, she smiled at him which he returned. "So, you passed, huh?" she asked rhetorically. "That's good. I knew you wouldn't lose to a bunch of brats," she stated walking to him and embracing him in a hug.

He merely chuckled and replied, "Of course I did. And I found out some important info about a certain snake." Anko was all ears and he told her what Naruto told him. She was enraged but was calmed by Koda's warm embrace. He then asked her, "Hey, Anko, what does this make us?"

She looked into his eyes, smiled warmly, and kissed him. The kiss was short, but it held a lot of meaning. When they separated, she said, "I think you can figure that one out, Koda-kun."

He smiled back at her and said, "Well, Anko-chan, when this is over, would you like to accompany me for a night on the town?"

Her smile turned into a seductive grin and she nodded. "Just be sure to wow me when we go out, or else you may lose out on all this," she said gesturing to her body.

Koda suppressed a nosebleed and nodded with a grin of his own. They kissed one last time before they went their separate ways; Anko swaying her hips sexily while she walked. He was hypnotized by them before he shook it off and went to find an empty room. He had a big day tomorrow.

Sparring Arena of the tower the next day

There were a total of 25 Genin in the arena the next day. There was Koda, Teams 7, 8, 9, and 10, the Suna nin, the Mizu nin, the Oto nin, and Kabuto's team. The Hokage then explained the true meaning of the Chunin Exams (mini wars between Villages to prevent full-scale wars) and the examiner Gekko Hayate, a sickly Jonin, stated that they would hold preliminary matches to drop the large number of Genin by at least half. When he asked if anyone wished to leave, Kabuto raised his hand and was excused. Sakura wanted Sasuke to quit, but the avenger was too stubborn and told her to mind her business. Hayate saw that no one else was quitting, so a video monitor was revealed and it was explained that they would be chosen who to fight at random and that, from here on out, it was every man/woman for his/herself. The Chunin Exam Prelims were about to begin and everyone was at the edge of their seats waiting for the names to be called.

The first fight would be… **Sasuke Uchiha vs. Jack Sotoya**.

(End)

And that's the end of Chpt 7. Well, the emo avenger has received his little cursed hickey from the snake pedophile. Chunin Prelims are next week. There will be a total of 12 matches to view. Question is: who will win? Please rate and review. I hope to receive decent remarks. Thanks!

This is pain17ification, over and out!


	8. Chapter 8: Prelims

Hey guys! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter "Bond of the Uzumaki". The Prelims start…NOW!

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto! (Why, damn it? I've been good…)

Poll Notice: I'm gonna set up a poll for this story. I've been reading stories with Naruto and Tayuya in them, and I thought that, since I decided to have Naruto with Hinata and Fuu, then maybe Koda should have two girls also. So I thought it over, and I decided to let you guys choose if Koda gets with Anko **and** Tayuya, or not. It will stay up for this chapter and the next two. Cast your votes please.

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Biju speech"**

'**Biju thought/mental speech'**

"_Jutsu_"

(Author Note)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 8: Prelims

All of the other Genin except Sasuke and Jack left the arena floor. Koda, along with Mei, stood with Team 7 on one of the balconies. Mei smiled in greeting to Naruto and he returned it. They then turned their gazes towards the arena floor to watch the 1st match.

Sasuke Uchiha vs. Jack Sotoya

Sasuke smirked at the Mizu nin in front of him. He was warned by Kakashi about not using his Sharingan, or the _Curse Mark_ could start to take over. However, he felt as if, even if he was able to use it, he wouldn't need to against Jack. The shinobi from Mizu didn't seem intimidating in the slightest and the Uchiha felt as if this fight was in the bag. "You might as well forfeit. You have no chance against an elite Uchiha like me."

"Really? Last I heard, you were the **only** Uchiha in Konoha," Jack replied. "How can you consider yourself an 'elite' Uchiha when you can't even compare yourself to any others, besides your traitor of a brother of course? You're nothing but a 'wet-behind-the-ears' Genin who thinks himself an elite just because of your precious Sharingan. Answer me this: if you didn't have the Sharingan, would you still have this pompous attitude of yours? Would you still be a so-called 'elite' shinobi?"

Sasuke scoffed and said, "I don't need my Sharingan to beat a weakling like you."

"You're avoiding the question, Uchiha. Is the answer too much for you pathetic ass to swallow? Is it **that** hard to admit that you are **nothing** without your precious Kekei Genkai?"

Sasuke snarled and yelled, "The Uchiha are the best of the best! We will never lose our eyes, so we will never lose our power!" And with that, he charged at Jack who smirked at getting under the Uchiha's skin. Sasuke threw a right, but Jack merely smacked it aside and landed a brutal knee-strike to the Uchiha's gut. The blow knocked Sasuke back a little bit and Jack took advantage of his staggering to land a ferocious uppercut to his chin. The punch made Sasuke fly back a couple feet and Jack smirked at the fallen Uchiha.

"Do you think you're still an 'elite' if you took that much from a 'weakling', like me? Where's your Sharingan now, Uchiha? Where's your precious power now, huh?" yelled out Jack.

Sasuke was slowly getting up and the _Curse Mark_ was slowly spreading to his left cheek. Anko saw this and was about to tell the Hokage to end the match when, suddenly, she heard the Uchiha grunt in exertion and the _Curse Mark_ receded back to his neck. This surprised her, but she decided to watch the match more closely in case she needed to step in.

Sasuke was in pain from the blows he received and from pushing back the _Curse Mark_ and he knew he only had enough energy for one more attack. He then remembered his scuffle with Lee before the written test and he smirked to himself. 'Time to put what I learned to the test. Thank you for your help, Lee.'

He then put as much chakra into his legs as he could and then rushed at Jack and then seemed to fade out of view. Before Jack knew it, he was kicked upward by a crouched Sasuke who then suddenly appeared behind him with the _Dancing Leaf Shadow_. While shadowing his opponent, the Sasuke attempted to strike Jack from a vulnerable angle. However, he was unable to make a clean strike, but it was merely a feint to Jack's attention and defense to one area. He then struck the undefended area and began to knock him downwards towards the ground. As Jack fell back to the earth, Sasuke deftly rotated his body around and delivered a full force kick on top of Jack's chest with a yell of "_Lion's Barrage_!" The force of the last blow made Jack cough up blood and left him unable to get a breath of air. Hayate saw this and said, "Due to Jack's inability to continue, the winner is Sasuke Uchiha." (For future reference: imagine Hayate coughing every now-and-then…)

Balconies

Koda and Mei were impressed with Sasuke's taijutsu ability, until they heard Naruto growl out, "That damn thief. He stole Lee's move and made his own version of Lee's attack." Koda then remembered seeing Lee perform his _Forward Lotus_ on the Oto nin in the FoD and had to agree with Naruto's comment. The move did seem stolen from Lee.

Sakura yelled out a cheer for Sasuke and Kakashi took him away to seal up the _Curse Mark_. Unknown to them, Orochimaru followed.

The screen then started to draw names again. The next match was…**Shino Aburame vs. Zaku Abumi**. Both fighters stepped down to the arena floor and began their match.

(I'm just gonna skip it since I'm sure most if not all of you know who wins.)

"Winner: Shino Aburame!" yelled out Hayate. The match was interesting to everyone, and they had a small amount of respect at Zaku's resilience to be defeated.

The screen then called the next match. The next match was…**Kiba Inuzuka vs. Lethe Karina**. Kiba jumped down to the floor, as did Lethe. They both smirked at each other. Kiba then got a whiff of her scent and he started to growl while she hissed at him in response.

Kiba Inuzuka vs. Lethe Karina

"Well well…looks like we're facing a little werecat, huh Akamaru? Why don't you go and play with some yarn or something, you damn puss?"

Lethe just hissed angrily and retorted, "Well, why don't you go and hump something, you mangy mutt! My Kami, I could smell your pheromones from here! Do you **ever** shower, or do you like the 'stray dog' smell?"

Both boy and dog growled loudly at that comment. "Let's get this over with!"

"Gladly!"

They both then charged at each other, their appearances becoming more feral due to Kiba's _All Fours Jutsu_ and Lethe's bloodline. They then dashed at each other in a horizontal tunnel-like attack. Kiba yelled out "_Tunneling Fang_" while Lethe cried out "_Rending Vortex_" and the two attacks clashed repeatedly for about five times. When they finally stopped, they both had multiple claw marks on their bodies and were panting heavily. They both put as much chakra into their attacks and their reserves were cut by about half. Kiba then called Akamaru and they both ate some soldier pills. Akamaru's white fur turned blood red and Kiba cried out "_Beast Mimicry: Man-Beast Clone_", then Kiba and Akamaru charged at Lethe with their trump card: the _Fang-Over-Fang_.

Lethe decided to release the full effects of her Kekei Genkai, so she focused chakra throughout her body and her appearance changed. Her ears and part of her face gained brown fur, her nails became wicked looking claws, and a cat's tail appeared behind her. This was the "Cait Sith" bloodline at full blast. She was then hit by Kiba's attack, but then her form fazed out of view. She then reappeared directly behind Kiba and delivered a hard elbow strike to his back which sent him to the wall. The wall gained spider-web cracks in it and Kiba fell to the floor unconscious.

"The winner by knockout: Lethe Karina!"

Koda, Mei, Lethe's teammates, and Naruto cheered for Lethe's victory. Koda had introduced Naruto to Lethe and Elena before the matches began and they immediately took a liking to the blonde Jinchuriki. Lethe released the chakra from her bloodline and headed for the balcony as the next match was called. The next match was…**Sakura Haruno vs. Ino Yamanaka**.

(Skip the fan-girl catfight. Kakashi returns during fight as well…)

"Due to both combatants being unable to continue, the match is a draw and neither will advance," Hayate called out. The screen showed the next match…**Tenten Hagane vs. Temari**.

(Skip the fight. It sucks that Tenten couldn't do **anything** to Temari…)

"The winner by knockout: Temari of Suna!"

The next match was…**Elena Adalynn vs. Choji Akamichi**.

Elena jumped down to the floor while Choji took the stairs.

Elena Adalynn vs. Choji Akamichi

"Let's have a good fight, Choji-san," Elena said.

"Sure thing," he replied.

Elena grabbed her bow and held it in her left hand with a couple arrows in her right one. Choji used his _Expansion Jutsu_ to make himself into the shape needed for his next move: the _Human Boulder_ technique. He began to roll towards Elena at high speed and she jumped to the side to avoid the (cough) plump boy. He instantly started to reverse his roll so that he can try to crash into her again. Elena shot an arrow with ninja wire at the ceiling and used the wire to swing over the boulder-like boy (Think Tarzan swinging from a jungle vine lol).

While airborne, she shot multiple arrows that had seals on their shafts all over the arena floor. When she landed, she immediately went through handsigns and then slammed her hands on the ground with a cry of "_Ice Style Fuinjutsu: Frozen Tundra_!" The seals glowed and shot out ice elemental chakra all along the floor. The floor was frozen over within ten seconds and Choji was having difficulty standing up. Elena then formed more handsigns and said, "I apologize for this, Choji-san, but I cannot fail this test. _Ice Style: Grasping Ice Fang_!" All around Choji, the ice started to spear at him and he tried desperately to dodge, but one of the spears got his leg. He was surprised that it didn't hurt, but then he noticed that the ice didn't stab him; it wrapped around his leg. The ice quickly formed over Choji and trapped him inside itself as if he were in an ice cube.

Hayate saw that Choji could not continue, so he called out the verdict. "Winner by entrapment: Elena Adalynn!"

Again, the cheers came from Koda, Naruto, and the other Mizu shinobi. Koda was immensely proud of his little sister figures and was glad that his old sensei, Akira Sotoya, trained them so well.

The next match was called. The match was…**Kankuro vs. Misumi Tsurugi**.

(Skip fight. It's Kankuro vs. that guy who can stretch his body like a snake)

"Winner by deathblow: Kankuro of Suna!"

The audience had grimaced at the brutal way Kankuro won his fight. They knew killing was allowed, but to kill by crushing every bone except the neck was pretty low.

The next match was…**Neji Hyuuga vs. Hinata Hyuuga** (gasp).

Neji smirked while Hinata was quivering in fear. Her shaky stature was immediately calmed when she felt something warm grasp her hand. It was Naruto's hand! She stared at him in shock and he smiled with a small blush while saying, "Don't worry, Hinata-chan. You'll do fine. Just believe in yourself and you can do almost anything!" Hinata smiled warmly at her crush and she nodded with a fierce, determined look in her eyes. She then jumped down to the arena floor to face off against her cousin.

Neji Hyuuga vs. Hinata Hyuuga

Neji saw the determination in his cousin's eyes and he knew this match would be harder than he thought. 'How did she get that fierceness in her eyes? Last time I saw her, she was quivering like a newborn! What the hell happened? No matter; fate still will declare me the victor.' (such a warm, fun-loving personality, huh?) "You should give up while you can, Hinata-sama. Your fate is to lose today."

Hinata didn't say anything and just activated her Byakugan. Her eyes were already fierce before, but with the Byakugan added in, she looked pretty damn intimidating for a 14yr old.

"I see. So you won't quit, will you? Fine then; I'll just have to make you see that fate will always be proven right by defeating you." Neji then activated his Byakugan and the two Hyuuga charged at one another.

And so, the fight of the Gentle Fist began. The two seemed to be evenly matched and were blocking every blow that their opponent threw at them. Naruto kept on cheering on Hinata, willing her to do her best. Hinata smiled on the inside while she fought. Her crush, her foxy-eyed crush, was cheering for her; supporting her! She couldn't lose. Not when she was finally being seen as a "somebody" in her crush's eyes. She wouldn't-

All of a sudden, Neji got through her defenses and hit Hinata with a chakra-fused open-palm strike. Hinata gasped in pain and blood flew from her mouth. She fell from the blow and Naruto cried out to her. He begged her to get up, but she was in too much pain. Neji had a smug look on his face and said, "You see now, Hinata-sama? Fate is on my side. Your destiny was to lose and you have." He then turned to Hayate. "Proctor, end the match. She is done."

Naruto was enraged. He just saw Hinata's cousin belittle her for trying to prove herself to everyone. He cried out, "No! Do **not** stop this match! Hinata, you can do it! Just get up!"

"You fool! She is beaten. Why can't you just accept that fact and let her accept her own fate?" asked Neji.

"Because, fate's bitch, **my** fate is to be there for my friends and cheer them on!"

"You're such an ignorant fool. There is no way she could-"

He was cut off by the sounds of struggling. He turned around and saw Hinata standing up, but she was holding her chest wound. She seemed to be on her last legs. "I…I will f-fight!"

Neji became very annoyed. "Why? Why do you stand and continue to make yourself suffer?"

"Because I'm not the real one suffering, am I Neji-niisan? My eyes can see through people too, and I can see that **you** are the one who is truly suffering."

Neji became enraged and rushed Hinata with a terrifying battle cry. He planned to end it right there, and he would have…if he wasn't stopped by the Konoha Jonin, Naruto, and Koda. Naruto held his sword to Neji's neck while Koda had water wrapped around his wrists from behind. "That's enough, Neji! You promised me that you wouldn't let your bitterness towards the Main Branch cloud your judgment!" yelled out Might Gai, Team 9's sensei.

"Out of the way! You have no business in the affairs of the Hyuuga. And you," he yelled at Naruto, "You should've just let her accept her defeat. You have the least amount of right to interfere with our clan's affairs. The same goes for you, Mizu nin!"

"I'm just here to assist my cousin, Naruto, and his friend," Koda replied. Many of the Rookie 12 (minus Sasuke and Hinata) gaped at that. Naruto, the orphaned dobe of the class, has a cousin from Mizu?

"It does not matter. Now, let me go. I'm done associating with these pieces of trash." And with that, Neji left the arena floor and returned to the balconies. The rest of the shinobi, except Kurenai, who took Hinata to the medic bay, and Hayate who had to continue being proctor, returned to the balconies.

The next match was then called…**Shikamaru Nara vs. Kin Tsuchi**.

Shika mumbled "Troublesome" and headed for the arena, where Kin was waiting.

(Skip fight. If you haven't seen the skipped fights, look them up on YouTube or something)

"Winner by knockout: Shikamaru Nara!"

Everyone who knew Shika personally was surprised that he actually worked for his win. They thought that he would just give up the match.

The next match was…**Gaara of the Desert vs. Akado Yoroi**.

Gaara _Sand Flickered_ to the floor while Akado walked towards it. The two stared at each other in the eye and said nothing.

Gaara vs. Akado Yoroi

Gaara's sand gourd lid shot toward Akado, who caught it and tossed it aside. Then Gaara's sand shot at Akado like a rocket. The Konoha nin tried desperately to dodge but was easily captured. "_Sand Coffin_…" Gaara said disinterestedly. The sand covered Akado in a sandy cocoon of sorts. Gaara then closed his outstretched hand and said in the same tone, "_Sand Burial_…" and then the sand crushed Akado, killing him instantly.

"Winner by deathblow: Gaara of the Desert!" called Hayate.

Gaara calmly walked back to the balcony and sent a crazed look to Koda, who glared at him in determination and mouthed out, "Next time, Gaara-san." Gaara merely nodded and looked away.

There were now only four shinobi left: Dosu Kinuta, Rock Lee, Koda Uzumaki, and Naruto Uzumaki. They eagerly looked at the screen deciding the matches and it landed on…**Naruto Uzumaki vs. Dosu Kinuta**.

Both Genin smirked and jumped down to the arena floor and were ready to begin.

Naruto Uzumaki vs. Dosu Kinuta

Naruto was grinning in excitement while Dosu looked at him in equal excitement. Neither had seen what the other was capable of, but Naruto had the slightest advantage because Koda told him about Dosu's melody arm. Naruto fingered Benitsuki and the blade seemed to hum a little in his hand. (This will be explained in the next chapter… Naruto doesn't know why yet)

Naruto suddenly rushed at Dosu, his right hand holding the handle of the sword in his left hand. He moved at an incredible speed that left Gai and Lee impressed and Koda proud of his cousin. Dosu narrowly avoided a slash that could have removed his head by jumping back and away from the blonde swordsman. He moved back his right sleeve, revealing his melody arm. He then rushed at Naruto who rushed in as well. At the last second though, Naruto dragged the blade's edge on the ground and swiped upward, flinging rubble into Dosu's single eye. While Dosu was blinded Naruto pumped chakra into his legs, which was difficult do to the _Five Digit Seal_ placed on him by Orochimaru, and he seemed to fade away and he said in a calm voice, "_Furious Red Night_". When he reappeared behind Dosu, he was sheathing his sword and whispered out, "And the 'Crimson Moon' shines its bloody light on another victim…" although practically everyone heard him say it. When the blade clicked, signaling it was full sheathed, multiple cuts and lacerations appeared on Dosu's body. The melody arm was cut so badly that it broke apart and fell to the floor followed by Dosu's unconscious body.

Naruto calmly walked back to the balcony while Hayate called out, "Winner by knockout: Naruto Uzumaki!"

Koda, Lethe, Elena, Mei, and Anko clapped for Naruto while everyone else, except Sarutobi and Gaara, were shocked at the outcome. To think that the supposed "academy dobe" could so easily defeat his opponent; it was mind blowing. Kakashi was wondering why Naruto never displayed this skill before.

"Will the last two combatants please come down?" asked Hayate.

It was time for the last preliminary match…**Rock Lee vs. Koda Uzumaki**.

Both boys jumped down and stared at each other in determination. Lee vs. Koda; taijutsu specialist vs. "Water-Bending" bloodline user. Who would win?

Rock Lee vs. Koda Uzumaki

Lee smiled and stated, "I look forward to fighting you, Koda-san."

"You too, Lee. And please, no formalities. I hate it when people use them when they aren't needed. Now then, let's do this!"

Lee got in his Heavy Fist stance while Koda summoned his chakram to his right hand. Neither one of them moved for what seemed like an eternity, until Koda launched his chakram at high speed towards Lee. Lee spun to the side and used the momentum from his spin to increase the speed of his run towards Koda. Lee cocked his fist back and launched it only for it to hit Koda's re-summoned weapon. The force behind the blow pushed Koda back a few inches. He whistled and said, "Damn, Lee. That's some power you've got. I may have to bring out my other weapons for this…" He then ripped off the bandages on his left arm, revealing a very complex looking seal. Sarutobi and the Jonin knew it was a summoning seal while the Genin were clueless. Koda bit his right thumb and wiped the blood over the seal. While he did this he said to Lee, "You better take off those weights…" Lee was shocked that he noticed them, "…because you're going to need all of the speed you can get for this."

The seal then glowed and released smoke. From the smoke came three lances and two water-skins (pouches that hold large amounts of water; about 2 liters at the most). The spears had beautiful designs on their shafts. They depicted raging whirlpools surrounded by lightening going from the bottom of the shaft to the bottom of the spears' blades. Said blades looked as if they were shaped like sharks' fangs and had jagged edges on them. Tenten was drooling at the sight of such beautifully crafted weapons. Koda then tied the water-skins to his waist and picked up one of his spears. "I will wait for you to remove your weights, Lee."

Lee looked to Gai for permission and he nodded in response. Lee smiled and jumped on top of the statue in the arena and removed the weights from under his orange leg warmers. Then he dropped them which resulted in two large craters forming from the impact. "I am ready, Koda!"

Koda nodded and rushed at Lee faster than before. It was obvious that he was holding back before but what surprised everyone, except Anko, was that there was a thin layer of water on the bottoms of Koda's boots letting him literally skate towards Lee at high speeds. Lee responded by rushing at Koda with his full speed. To the untrained eye, they seemed to be nothing but blurs. The shockwave form the blow between Lee's fist and Koda's spear was quite impressive to the other shinobi and these impacts kept going for a few more minutes. Lee finally jumped away from Koda and started unwrapping his bandages until they were about halfway removed. He then moved at high speed in a circle around Koda. He then appeared in front of Koda and sent him upward with an upward kick to his chin. Koda seemed to float in midair and Lee appeared behind him with the _Dancing Leaf Shadow_, just like Koda saw him do to Zaku in the FoD. Koda barely twitched his wrists, dropping his spear, but opening his water-skins as well, their contents spilling to the floor. Lee's bandages wrapped around Koda's frame and the two missile-dropped in a tornado-like fashion; the _Forward Lotus_.

Koda jerked his head during the drop causing the spilled water to rise up and trap the two boys in a thick sphere of water, slowing their descent to a halt. Koda took advantage of this and got free from the loosened wrappings. He then released the water and returned it to the water-skins. Lee was panting from the aftereffects of the _Lotus_ and the inability to breathe from the water sphere. He was trying desperately to regain his breath. Koda smiled to him and said, "This has been an amazing fight, Lee; however, I'm going to have to end it here." He then grabbed his spear while two water tendrils grabbed the two other spears. He rushed at Lee with his three spears and then he pinned Lee to the ground; the spears pinning Lee by his clothes. Koda then formed water on his right hand and pointed it towards Lee and the water formed the _Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu_. Koda then twitched his fingers and a whirlpool of sorts started to form in the _Water Prison_; Koda had unknowingly made a water-like _Rasengan_ which surprised the old man. However Koda then called out, "_Uzumaki Water Style: Whirling Water Prison_" and Sarutobi believed that Koda did not know about the _Rasengan_. He kept up the jutsu for about ten seconds and then the water dropped revealing an unconscious green-clad Genin. Koda let out a breath of exhaustion and fell on his butt, panting hard. "Man, that took a lot out of me." He then looked up at Gai and said, "You should be proud of Lee, Gai-san. He is an amazing Genin. Though I am curious; why didn't he use any nin/genjutsu?"

"The simple fact that he is unable to due to underdeveloped chakra coils, Uzumaki-san."

"Oh…Well he still has quite a shinobi career ahead of him."

Gai nodded in gratitude for the comment while Hayate called out, "Winner by knockout: Koda Uzumaki!"

All of the Mizu nin, except Jack who glared in jealousy, cheered for Koda, as well as Naruto and Anko, who cheered the loudest much to the surprise of Kurenai, who returned before the last match began. She decided to talk to Anko about that later.

Sarutobi then called out the winners of the prelims and held out a box that had numbered pieces of paper in it. He told them to pick one and when they all did, they called out their numbers.

"I have #3," Shino said stoically.

"I got #9!" called out Lethe with enthusiasm.

"#5," said Temari.

"I have #10," Elena said calmly.

"I got #4!" called out Kankuro.

"#2," stated Neji.

"Troublesome…#6," muttered Shika.

"I have #8," stated Gaara stoically.

"I got #1!" called out Naruto.

"I picked #11," said Koda.

"So that leaves Sasuke with #7," said Sarutobi. "Alright, here are the match orders."

Ibiki then held a card that stated:

**Match Order**

**Match 1= Naruto vs. Neji**

**Match 2= Shino vs. Kankuro**

**Match 3= Temari vs. Shikamaru**

**Match 4= Sasuke vs. Gaara**

**Match 5= Lethe vs. Elena**

**Koda will face winner of Match 5.**

"Are there any questions?" asked Sarutobi. When he saw none of the Genin raise their hands, he said, "You all have one month to prepare for Finals which will be held at Konoha's stadium. Make sure that you all prepare accordingly. I will see you all at the Finals. You are all dismissed."

(End)

Phew! That was a **long** chapter! Well, writing the chapter was… So, the prelims are now over. Next week covers Naruto meeting Jiraiya and Kyubi. He will also talk to Hinata about their relationship. Koda also goes on his date with Anko and a surprise meeting occurs between Mei and the 3rd! what will the meeting cover? How will Naruto's talk and Koda's date end up? You'll just have to wait and see next week!

Btw: How did I do on the fight scenes? You guys can PM me about anything in my story, y'know? Whether it's comments, advice, or if you guys just wanna chat. It doesn't matter to me. I'm usually available between 6 pm-9:30(ish) pm.

Remember: The poll about Tayuya will be up for this and the next 2 chapters. Please vote!

Anyway, please R&R! I look forward to your responses, votes, and hopefully your support.

This is pain17ification, over and out!


	9. Chapter 9: Talks, Date, & Proposal

Hey guys! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter "Bond of the Uzumaki". Naruto talks with Jiraiya and Hinata. He also meets Kyubi while Koda and Anko go on their date. Meanwhile, Sarutobi and Mei have a discussion of great importance.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto! (Why, damn it? I've been a good boy like Tobi…)

Poll Notice: So far, Tayuya being added in has more than double the votes of it being only Koda and Anko. If it's the same next week, I'm dropping the poll and posting the end result next week's chapter.

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Biju speech"**

'**Biju thought/mental speech'**

"_Benitsuki's speech"_

'_Benitsuki's thoughts/mental speech'_

"_Jutsu_"

(Author Note)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 9: Talks, Date, and Proposal

After the 3rd Hokage dismissed the Genin still in the exams, Naruto went to find Kakashi and ask for training, as well as visit Hinata in the hospital. Koda went to talk to Anko and ask her about that date she agreed to. Mei saw his grin as he went to talk with Anko and she smiled. She was happy for Koda and wished the best for him. However, she knew that his relationships with Naruto and Anko would be somewhat strained when he would have to return to Mizu. She thought about how she could help him out and she came up with an idea, but she would have to talk to the old monkey about her idea proposal. She immediately headed for the Hokage Tower to talk with Sarutobi.

With Naruto at the Konoha Hospital

Naruto was trying to find Hinata's room when he saw his sensei. He smiled and thought that Kakashi would surely help him out with his month of training. "There you are, Kakashi-sensei! I need to ask you something!"

"I know what you're gonna ask, Naruto, but I can't train you for the month."

"What? Why?" he asked in anger.

"You've seen what that Gaara kid did to that Akado guy. I need to make sure that Sasuke is ready for an opponent like that and I am the only person in the village who can help with his Sharingan."

Naruto growled and said, "Kakashi**-san**, I completely understand what you are saying. I just felt as if the sensei was **supposed** to aid their Genin **Team**. But, I guess that I was wrong."

As Naruto resumed his search for Hinata's room, Kakashi called out, "I'm not abandoning you, Naruto. I got you a replacement teacher." Ebisu then came walking up. "See? I asked Ebisu-san to assist you."

"No fucking way am I accepting help from a damn closet pervert like him! I would've thought that you would have at least picked a **decent** teacher, but I guess I was wrong. See ya, Hatake-san." That last statement made Kakashi cringe, but Naruto paid it no mind and asked the receptionist for Hinata's room number. She, being one of Naruto's few supporters, happily told him where it was.

Earlier with Koda and Anko

Koda walked up to Anko with a grin and asked, "How are you today, Anko-chan?"

She smiled at him and said, "I'm much better now that you and my otouto passed. Congrats by the way."

"Thanks. So, I was wondering where and when you wanted to go for our date?" he asked with a nervous smile.

She thought his nervousness was cute and she said, "I was thinking tonight at the Dango Bar where we first met. But dress semi-formal, alright? I wanna see how you can pull that off."

He smiled in a way that reminded her of Naruto's foxy grins and he said, "Sounds perfect. I'll see you there at 7?" She nodded. "Alright then. See ya tonight!" he called out while leaving.

She smirked in a crazy (in a good way) fashion. "Oh, you will definitely see me tonight, Koda-kun. And I'm definitely gonna knock you off your feet tonight."

Back with Naruto

Naruto entered Hinata's room after he was given the ok, and saw that her sensei was in the room as well. He smiled at Hinata and asked, "How are you feeling, Hinata-chan?"

She smiled gratefully at her blonde crush and said, "Much better now. The doctors told me that if you and Koda-san hadn't have intervened, I would have been in a worse condition. Thank you, Naruto-kun, for believing and standing up for me."

"No need to thank me. I always knew you would do great! You are an amazing person, Hinata-chan, "he said with a blush.

She blushed back and Kurenai saw the looks of shyness on their faces. She smiled at the sweet moment and decided to let them have some time alone. "Well, Hinata, I'll be going now. Come find me when you are discharged and we can go get some tea."

"I will sensei." Kurenai then left and Hinata turned back to Naruto. "Naruto-kun, I wanna tell you something."

Naruto smiled and asked, "What is it?"

She gathered up all of her courage and, with a tomato-red face, she said, "I like you, Naruto-kun; a lot. And I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me sometime?"

Naruto was stunned. He knew that he had a crush on Hinata, but he had no idea that his feelings were reciprocated. He smiled his biggest smile and said, "I'd love to, Hinata-chan!"

Now it was Hinata's turn to be shocked. She thought that Naruto just viewed her as a friend, but he actually said "Yes" to the date. She returned his smile and thought, 'Thank you, Kami-sama!'

Up in Heaven

A kind looking woman dressed in regal, gold and silver robes smiled at her most recent prayer/thank you. She said, "Your welcome, Hinata-chan. But I do hope you are willing to share the boy you love in the future, or else there could be some serious problems up ahead."

Back on Earth

"Hinata? Hello? You still with me?" Naruto called out, breaking her from her silent "thank you" to Kami.

"Huh? Oh, yes I'm alright, Naruto-kun. I'm just so happy that you said yes. I've actually wanted to ask you out for a while now…"

This shocked Naruto. "How long, exactly?"

She nervously replied, "About six months."

Naruto's jaw dropped. "That long?" He then thought about it. "You didn't ask because of your father, huh?" She nodded sadly. He sighed, moved to sit next to her on her bed, and said, "You know that we will have to tell him, right? We already have to keep our friendship a secret, but if we are gonna go out as a couple, I want to tell him."

"But father won't accept anyone who isn't a noble!" she cried out, tears staining her sad face.

He smiled warmly at her and said, "Well then, I'll just have to show him that I **am** a noble."

She was shocked and asked, "How are you a noble, Naruto-kun?"

He looked around and said, "You can't tell anyone this secret, Hinata-chan. I'm allowed to because it involves me, but if you do, then you'll be executed. Do you understand?" She nodded in determination and he said, "I'm the son of the 4th Hokage, Minato Namikaze, of the Namikaze Clan. Since I'm the last of the clan, I am technically Clan Head. So, since I'm a Clan Head, I am technically a noble." He grinned at her in victory.

Hinata was shocked to her core. The man who was hailed as a hero for defeating the Kyubi by sealing it inside of Naruto was actually his father. She smiled and said, "This is perfect! If we can show proof to my father, then he can't possibly say no!" She tackled Naruto in a hug and, in the sheer moment of pure joy, she kissed him fully on the lips! Both were shocked at that and separated. They had huge blushes on their faces and they slowly turned to look at one another.

"Hinata-chan?"

"Yes, Naruto-kun?"

He didn't say anything. He just closed the distance between them and kissed her again. Hinata was in heaven at the kiss and Naruto felt the same. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he wrapped his around her waist, effectively deepening their kiss. After what seemed like a blissful eternity for them, they separated for air and stared at each other with loving smiles.

"Wow…" Hinata said.

"Yeah…"

Naruto then picked her up bridal style, much to her embarrassment and joy, and set her down on her hospital bed. He kissed her one last time and started to leave. "Naruto…" she called out to him. When he looked back to her, she smiled and said, "We'll tell him after I get out."

He nodded with a smile and said, "You bet, Hinata-chan." And with that, he left.

Hokage's Office

Mei had finally got a meeting with the Hokage and she was looking at him from across his desk. "What is it you wanted to talk about, Mei-san?"

"Hokage-sama, "she started, "I have a proposal to make concerning Koda Uzumaki."

He nodded to her and said, "Go on…"

W Naruto (Konoha Hot Springs)

Naruto was at the Konoha Hot Springs working on his chakra control. He knew his chakra control was shot because of that damn snake, Orochimaru, but he just had to work through it. (Not as simple as you think, Naruto.) He decided to relearn the tree climbing and water walking exercises. He was having a few clones work on the tree climbing while he, alone, would try the water walking. He had gotten a decent amount of control back after having his tree-walking clones dispel at 5 minute intervals. Right now, he was able to stand on water with only his ankles covered in its steaming liquid. He chose the hot springs so that the water's heat would motivate him enough to not fall in.

He then heard perverse giggling coming from behind him and he turned and saw a white haired man on top of a horse-sized **toad** of all things. He knew who it was based on that alone. There were only two men who could summon toads of that size. They were his father and one of the Sannin, Jiraiya the Toad Sage. He saw that the man was peeking in on the female side of the hot springs and he grinned evilly. He performed his _Sexy Jutsu_ to turn into Naruko and snuck up on the peeping Tom. "Excuse me?" Naruko asked. "Are you peeping?"

Jiraiya froze at the 'female' voice and turned to see Naruko dressed in an orange dress that reached her ankles (if he was Naruko in a bikini, then he wouldn't be able to mess with Jiraiya like he is now). "Uh…No?"

"Hmmm…You know what I think?"

"Uh…What?"

Naruko took in a very deep breath and yelled out as loud as she can, "PERVERT!"

Jiraiya paled and yelled, "Get me outta here!" The toad summons sighed but nodded and Jiraiya was gone.

The females in the springs came out in shinobi gear. Naruko was surprised to see her neechan in the group. "Where'd he go?" one of the girls asked. Naruko just pointed in the direction Jiraiya left and the girls, except Anko, left.

Anko just sighed and said, "Drop the jutsu, otouto."

Naruko nodded and dispelled, becoming Naruto once more. "So, what are you doing here, neechan?"

Anko smiled and said, "Getting ready for my date."

Naruto got bug-eyed. "A date with who?"

Her smile turned into a grin. "I'm going out tonight with Koda-kun."

"What? He already asked you out?" She nodded, still grinning. "Well, have fun, I guess…"

Her grin became a smirk. "Oh, I will, Naruto; I will." She then left and Naruto felt a shiver go up his spine.

"Good luck, Koda. You're gonna need it tonight."

Jiraiya then reappeared with a look of anger and irritation on his face. "What the hell, gaki? Why'd you go and blow my cover like that?"

"Hey, how do even know I did it?"

"Oh, please. Sensei told me all about your _Sexy Jutsu_, and I saw the whisker marks on your transformed face."

"Damn, I thought I got away with that one."

"Anyways, I'm actually glad that you showed up. Now I won't have to look for ya."

"What do ya mean?"

"Sensei told me about the seal that my ex-teammate placed on ya. Let me take a look at it." He saw the _Five Digit Seal_ and he immediately recognized it. "Alright, gaki, hold still so that I could remove this thing." Naruto nodded and Jiraiya went through some handsigns and then his fingers glowed an orange color. "_Five Digit Seal: Release_!" He then slammed his fingers on top of the snake's seal, removing the harmful tattoo from Naruto's naval. "And it's done."

Naruto felt all of his chakra being under control again and thanked the old sage. Suddenly, his eyes glazed over and he fainted, shocking Jiraiya.

Naruto's Mindscape

Naruto woke up to the sounds of dripping water. It looked like he was in a sewer. 'How'd I get here?' he thought.

"**Come closer, kit, "**came a deep voice.

Naruto was hesitant, but he obeyed. He traversed through the maze-like sewer as if he had his entire life. He then reached a large cage with a tag that had the kanji for "Seal" on it. A pair of glowing red eyes was watching his every move.

"**Do you know who I am, kit?"**

Naruto stared into the eyes and saw that they had slit pupils. 'Like a fox, 'he thought. He then glared and asked, "You're the Kyubi, aren't you?"

Suddenly, a large, nine-tailed fox was seen behind the cage where the eyes were. The fox chuckled and said, **"Correct, I am the Kyubi no Kitsune. And we are currently in your mind, kit."**

"Is there any reason why my mind's so fucked up looking?"

The fox snorted and said, **"That would be because of all the shit that you have gone through due to being my Jinchuriki. I don't know why humans do this, but we demons wouldn't dare hurt another demon for something he/she couldn't control."**

"Well, you've proved to me that you're alright in my book, Kyubi-san. So, why am I here?"

"**You are here because I wanted to talk to you about some things." **Naruto nodded, signaling for the fox to continue. **"First, I want to tell you about your sword. That sword didn't just come from a kind stranger like you thought it did. It actually came from my chakra and your will. Your will was begging for a way to cut down those that harmed you and my chakra responded by forming a sword. Apparently, the sword gained a mind of its own, as well as a body in your mindscape."**

Naruto was shocked and was about to ask about it before he was interrupted by a feminine voice. _"He's right, Naruto. I have indeed gained my own form."_

Naruto turned around and saw a woman of about 21yrs of age. She had silver hair, crimson eyes, and a pale-white complexion. She was dressed in a silver kimono with a blood red obi and was wearing her hair in a braided ponytail. She was also barefooted.

"Are you Benitsuki?" he asked.

She smiled warmly at him and replied, _"Yes I am, Naruto. And I've gotta say, you truly are a wonderful wielder. I have never felt so powerful with any of my other wielders."_

"What do you mean by 'other wielders'? You had others before?"

Benitsuki nodded and Kyubi said, **"Sometimes when a person who has sinned dies, instead of eternal suffering, they are charged with eternal service as a weapon. Benitsuki, here, is merely one of these people. She has served many hanyous and they never truly felt a connection with her. When your sword formed, she took over as its representative spirit."**

"Wow, this is a lot to take in. So, what else did you want to talk about?"

"**I want to make you a deal. I will give you chakra when you need it; however, you will allow me to experience whatever you sense **(as in the five senses)**. You will also allow me and Benitsuki to speak with you mentally whenever we wish. Do we have an accord?"** the fox asked offering a tail to shake Naruto's hand.

Naruto thought about the pros and cons of this offer and then said, "Deal." He then shook Kyubi's tail and was immediately shot out of his mind.

Benitsuki giggled at Naruto's expense and said, _"He's gonna have quite a future ahead of him. Wouldn't you agree, Kyubi-san?"_

"**Oh, I do, Benitsuki. Let's just hope that the kit is ready for that future."**

Back with Naruto and Jiraiya

Naruto woke up in a clearing next to Jiraiya, who was writing down notes in a little, black notebook. "So, you're finally awake, huh?" Jiraiya asked.

"Yeah. I had a talk with Kyubi and my sword's spirit." This got Jiraiya to raise a brow in worry (for Kyubi) and surprise (for Benitsuki). After Naruto explained what happened in his mindscape, he said to Jiraiya, "I'm gonna use Kyubi and Benitsuki to my advantage and grow into, not just a powerful shinobi, but a respectable Jinchuriki."

Jiraiya smiled and said, "Well then, I'll help you on this personal quest of yours. I taught your father, after all. So, teaching his kid shouldn't be **too** different."

Naruto smirked and said, "Thanks, Ero-sennin."

With Koda at the Dango Bar 7pm

(This is my first attempt at a date scene, so cut me some slack)

Koda sat at a table at the Dango Bar, waiting for Anko. He was dressed in a black, button-up shirt with navy blue pants and black shoes. His hair was fixed in its usual ponytail and he had a necklace with two pendants on it. One was the Uzumaki swirl made out of sapphire and the other was the Shiba symbol (think of a 7-point star) made out of amethyst stone. He was tapped on his shoulder and saw that it was Anko. His jaw dropped when he saw her outfit.

Anko was dressed in a violet, strapless dress that matched her hair perfectly. The dress had a slit on the right side for both style and movement. Her hair was still fashioned the same and she also wore a necklace but hers had a pendant of a coiling snake. The pendant was made out of jade.

"Wow, Anko-chan you look stunning."

She blushed faintly and smiled. "Thanks, and you clean up nice, Koda-kun."

They ordered their dango and talked about various things such as missions and life in general. They both grew solemn at their dates' description of their life. During Anko's recollection, Koda placed a hand on top of hers and during Koda's, Anko did the same. After dinner, they took a walk through one of the parks in Konoha and enjoyed the view of a sunset over the park's lake. Anko was leaning her head on Koda's shoulder during the walk and had her arms wrapped around his right arm. After the sunset, Koda walked her home. When they reached her home they bid each other good night and, before Koda left, Anko pulled him in for a very passionate kiss. When they separated, he had a dazed look and she laughed and said, "Goodnight, Wonder Boy."

Just before her door completely closed, she heard him say, "Goodnight, Snake Queen." She smiled at that and thought about how lucky she was that she met a guy like Koda. She was saddened a little about the fact that he would have to leave after the exams, so she promised herself that, if they were still together, she would keep in touch with him when he left.

Hokage's Office

Sarutobi listened to Mei's proposal earlier and told her to come back to his office later and he would have an answer. When Mei entered the office, she asked, "Have you made a decision?"

Sarutobi nodded and said, "I agree with your idea. I believe both Naruto and Koda will benefit from this. So, after the exams, Koda will be allowed to become instated as a shinobi of Konoha under the Clan of Uzumaki."

(End)

So…What did you guys think? Was the chapter interesting? Do you like Benitsuki? How about Mei's proposal? How will Koda react to this new development? PM me if you have any comments or concerns. Please R&R also!

Next Chapter: Koda is told of the offer and the month long training sessions are covered.

pain17ification, over and out!


	10. Chapter 10: Decision & New Techniques

Hey guys! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter "Bond of the Uzumaki". Koda is told of Mei's proposal and must make a decision and the training for the Chunin Exams is shown.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto! (Why, damn it? I've been a good boy like Tobi…)

Poll Notice: Poll is over! Tayuya is being added in! The final result was 29 "for" and 7 "against". Wow, what a landslide! Sheesh…

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Biju speech"**

'**Biju thought/mental speech'**

"_Benitsuki's speech"_

'_Benitsuki's thoughts/mental speech'_

"_Jutsu_"

(Author Note)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 10: Decision and New Skills

Morning came far too early for the Uzumaki boys. Both of them, though in separate homes (Naruto in his apartment and Koda in his hotel room), cursed the sun for making them wake up. Naruto woke up and dressed in a simple black shirt and his orange pants and headed for the hot springs to meet with Jiraiya for more training. Koda dressed normally and went to find Mei so that she may give some insight on how he should train. He saw her at a coffee shop and sat down next to her.

"Good morning, Mei-sensei, "he said.

She smiled and returned the greeting. She finished her drink and looked at Koda seriously. "Koda, we need to head for Hokage-sama's office. We need to talk to you about something."

He nodded and headed there with her.

With Naruto

Naruto arrived at the bath house to the sight of a giggling Jiraiya. He sighed and tapped the pervert on the shoulder.

"Yo, Ero-sennin, we need to start my training, remember?"

"Just a second, "he responded and wrote a couple more things in his little, black notebook and then he motioned for the blonde to follow him.

Clearing with River

As soon as the duo reached the clearing, Jiraiya pulled off the scroll on his back and laid it across for Naruto. When the scroll opened up, Naruto saw a few names written in the scroll, even the pervert and his fathers' names.

"This, gaki, is the Toad Summoning Contract. As you can see, your father signed it as well. It was his late wish to have you sign it. So, here you are. All you have to do is sign it with your blood and put your handprint in blood as well."

Naruto nodded and did just that. He was then told to put as much chakra as he could after doing the correct handsigns. The boy was interrupted by the fox in mid-summoning, though. **'You might want to put some of my chakra into the jutsu as well, Kit. It will ensure that you summon the boss of this contract of yours.'**

Naruto mentally nodded and went through the handsigns again while drawing on the fox's chakra. He then slammed his bloody hand on the ground with a cry of "_Summoning Jutsu_!"

A huge plume of smoke, the size of a large apartment complex, formed and out of it came a huge toad wearing a large blue coat, a large dagger, and smoking a pipe.

'I knew he had a lot of chakra, but I didn't think he had enough to summon Gamabunta (Bunta for short) of all people! Damn…'

Said toad was startled that he was summoned in Konoha after so many years. "What the **hell** am I doing in Konoha, huh?" he raged. He then saw Jiraiya and asked, "And why are you down there after summoning me? Did ya fall off or something?"

Jiraiya had a sweat-drop and replied, "I didn't summon you; your new summoner is on your head."

Taking that as his cue to speak, Naruto called out to the Toad Chief, "Hey there, boss! I'm Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze! My dad was your previous summoner, so I signed the Toad Contract and summoned you here."

Bunta was shocked that the Yondaime's kid pulled off such a feat. "Well, kid, don't think that I'll accept you so easily. I'll give you a test, and if you pass, then I'll accept you as our new summoner. Deal?"

"Deal! So what's the test?"

"A simple question: What is your main goal?"

In the Hokage's Office

Mei brought Koda to the office just like Sarutobi asked her to. They both sat down in front of his desk and he smiled warmly to them.

"Thank you for coming Koda. Your friend, Mei here, gave me a proposal yesterday and I believe it may interest you greatly."

Koda nodded and asked, "So, what's the offer?"

Mei spoke up saying, "Well, I couldn't help but notice that you are quite close to that Anko girl." Koda blushed but smiled at the memory of their date the previous night. "I know that you two had a date yesterday night as well, and I couldn't help but feel bad about the fact that, after the exams, your relationship with her and Naruto would be pretty difficult to keep due to the distance between Mizu and Konoha. So, I decided to ask Sarutobi-sama for help."

"The help I'm offering you, Koda, is a chance to join our shinobi ranks after the exams so that you may continue your relationship with Anko and the last of your family. The choice is yours completely, so you may decide to join or not."

Koda was shocked at their offer; a chance to stay with Anko and his cousin as a Konoha nin. He couldn't believe it. "Why are you going so far to help me? Why am I so special that I am offered this choice?"

Sarutobi smiled at his modesty and said, "I can see that you are a very honorable person, Koda. I can also see that Anko and Naruto's lives have never seemed happier before you came along; especially Anko. I'm not doing this just for you. I'm also doing this for the two of them and as atonement for my little assistance in the life of the son of my late successor. I have failed Naruto too many times, Koda, and I refuse to fail him again. If there's even a small chance for him to be happier, I will take it. Now, Koda, the choice falls upon you; will you join Konoha after the exams or will you return to Mizu?"

After going over what the kind Kage said, Koda thought about the offer some more. He definitely saw the benefits: the chance to stay with Anko and Naruto, the chance to join a well respected village, and the chance to help out his remaining and possibly future family. The downside was that he would have to leave the girls (Lethe and Elena) and his old life in Mizu. Then, an idea struck him.

"Hokage-sama, would it be alright that, should I say yes, I am allowed to return to Mizu if they ever need my aid, or even just to visit every now and then?"

The two adults smiled at this since they knew that he would ask and the old man said, "Of course, Koda. I'll even do you one better; I'll allow you to wear both the headbands of Konoha and Mizu to show your connection to both. In the future, you'll act as a diplomat for both villages so that our two countries may forge an alliance. How's that, Koda?"

Koda smiled and said, "Well then, Hokage-sama, you obviously know my answer. I say yes to your deal."

"Excellent, "the old man said while pulling out some forms. "These are transfer and diplomat forms. They will show not only your transfer, but your status as a diplomat." Koda took the forms and signed them. "Welcome to Konoha, Koda-san." He held out his hand to Koda.

Said Uzumaki took the hand, shook it firmly, and said, "Thank you very much, Hokage-sama."

Back with Naruto, Jiraiya, and Bunta

"My answer to your question, boss, is that my main goal is to gain respect as a person and a Jinchuriki. My other goal is to help others like me find happiness and peace."

Bunta smiled at the blonde's answer. He was definitely Minato's kid. "Congratulations kid, you have passed my test." Naruto cheered after hearing that and the Chief Toad turned to the Toad Sage. "Make sure you help this kid out, Jiraiya. He's definitely gonna go far."

Jiraiya nodded and watched Naruto do a victory dance. "I know he will, Bunta; he sure will."

Bunta then told Naruto to get off him so that he could leave and the blonde complied. After the Chief left, Jiraiya turned to Naruto and said, "Alright, you're a summoner now. The next step of your training will be to see what that sword of your can do. If she's really a weapon for hanyous, then she must have some type of power, right?"

Naruto took out Benitsuki and asked mentally, 'Do you have any special abilities, Benitsuki?'

Said spirit smiled in Naruto's mind and said, _'Of course I do. Channel your chakra into me and you'll see, Naruto.'_

Naruto did that and the blade of the sword glowed white and Naruto heard Benitsuki tell him to swing the sword at a tree and to release the energy. The blonde did just that and, to the surprise of him and the pervert, a wave of white energy flew at the tree and cleanly cut it in two.

_'As you can see, Naruto, if you channel chakra into me, the energy stored up sharpens your sword and can either give it an incredible boost in power or allow you to fire off concentrated waves of chakra. This technique is called __Moon's Cry__. You already know of the technique __Furious Red Night__, which lets you attack at unimaginable speed. Now, I want you to focus Kyubi's chakra into the blade.'_

Naruto complied and he was then surrounded in a blood red orb of energy alongside Jiraiya. The two appeared to be in a castle throne room on a very stormy night. Jiraiya then saw what looked like an army of humanoid foxes behind Naruto. The fox demons were snarling at Jiraiya and Naruto heard Benitsuki say, _'This technique is called __Army of the Demon Lord__. It is actually an illusionary technique that even a dojutsu cannot pierce through. What it does is makes your target believe they are facing an army of demons of the same breed as my wielder. These illusionary demons are loyal to you and are commanded by your thoughts. They may not be able to cause actual harm, but the target will feel as if they can, giving you the chance to take down your foe. And since the orb uses Kyubi's chakra, only shinobi who are High-Jonin and above can see that it is an illusion and dispel it. Isn't that great?'_

Naruto nodded and ended the technique. He then asked, 'Is the orb able to move with me or is it only able to remain stationary?'

_'In time, and with practice, it can. But for now, no it cannot. You will have to perfect these techniques on your own, my wielder.'_

Naruto mentally nodded and thanked her. He then gave Jiraiya the explanations on the techniques that his sword gave him. Jiraiya was impressed and told Naruto to focus on his sword techniques for the remainder of the month and the blonde got to work.

With Koda and Anko

After telling Anko of the deal he accepted from the old man, she tackled him in a hug and kissed him passionately. He returned it and asked her to help him with his training for the month. She eagerly accepted and they headed for the FoD. Once there, she asked him what he wanted help on. He told her that he wanted to work on some Suiton jutsu he wanted to try out. She told him that she was a Doton user and he said that the techniques were ones he created himself using his Kekei Genkai. He had come up with 4 Suiton techniques. (For future reference, all techniques involving the Water-Bending Kekei Genkai are _Uzumaki Suiton_ jutsu.)

The first was _Uzumaki Suiton: Spiraling Defense_. It was like the _Water Encampment Wall_, except that the water making the wall rage around him like a whirlpool. If used right, it could theoretically return certain attacks back at their casters.

The second was _Uzumaki Suiton: Raging Water Geyser_. This technique was initiated by an uppercut punch. After the punch connected, water would follow the target and rage around them and cut at them with its sharp, internal edges. It took a considerable amount of control on Koda's part to perform this technique correctly though.

The third was _Uzumaki Suiton: Uzu Bullet_. This jutsu copied the _Liquid Bullet_ technique but each shot was sharper and acted like a water drill. When the shots hit the tree that Koda had targeted, each one drilled right through and exploded in a small burst of water on the tree behind it. Koda and Anko were impressed with that one.

The last one was to be Koda's trump card. It was called _Uzumaki Suiton: Lance of Susano'o_. Koda named this jutsu that because it required him to mix lightening chakra with his water jutsu. What it did was create an electrically charged water drill on the tip of Koda's spear. The drill would add incredible cutting power and shock the target with the Raiton chakra.

Anko was impressed with her boyfriend's (c'mon, we all know they're an item now) creativity with his bloodline. She helped him bring his techniques to a level where they could be used in battle during the month by having him dodge her many kunai and retaliate with his creations. They went on occasional dates during the month as well.

On the night prior to the exams, both Uzumaki and their respective trainers believed that they were ready for the exams the next day. The Uzumaki knew one thing about the exams tomorrow: they were going to really show the spectators just what their clan was made of.

(End)

So, Koda decided to be a diplomat for Mizu and Konoha and made some new jutsu while Naruto became the next Toad Summoner and learned some techniques from Benitsuki. The finals are next week, people, so stay tuned! Please R&R!

Poll Result Reminder: Tayuya is being added in due to having more than **quadruple** the votes against her addition. That was a real knockout, huh? 29 to 7 is pretty impressive…

New Story Notice: Next week, I'm gonna start another Naruto story. I'm gonna call this one "Son of the Rain". You'll find out why next week. It'll be a NaruFuu story, so to the fans of that pairing: I hope you enjoy the first chapter!

Anyways, hope to get continued support.

This is pain17ification, over and out!


	11. Chapter 11: Finals and Invasion

Hey guys! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter "Bond of the Uzumaki". We begin the Chunin Exam Finals and the Suna/Oto invasion now.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto! (Why, damn it? I've been a good boy like Tobi…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Biju speech"**

'**Biju thought/mental speech'**

"_Benitsuki's speech"_

'_Benitsuki's thoughts/mental speech'_

"_Jutsu_"

(Author Note)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 11: Chunin Finals and Invasion

It was finally the day of the Chunin Exam Finals. The whole village was in a frenzy about getting good seats. It wasn't everyday that you see Genin from 3 villages battle it out for their right to become Chunin. Needless to say, the spectators were excited about the matches to come.

Arena

The remaining Genin of the Exams were lined up in front of the spectators on the arena floor. Everyone looked pretty much the same; except for Naruto and Koda.

Naruto had decided to wear a wardrobe more fitting for a shinobi. He wore black cargo pants, a blood red shirt, black gloves that reached his elbows, a hooded trench coat, and he had his headband tied to his left bicep. The hood of the coat was down letting his wild, blonde hair wave in the breeze.

Koda was wearing in black shirt that only had the left sleeve with the Uzumaki Spiral on the back and the Shiba Star over the heart. He also wore baggy, grey pants that were held up by a **Konoha** headband. His fur boots were still there as well as the bandages on his right arm. He also had his Mizu headband around his neck, his pendants showing, and his hair in its usual ponytail.

Both Uzumaki had looks of pure confidence on their faces and they were showing everyone that they were not afraid of what was to come. Naruto looked up to the stands and saw Hinata smiling to him. He smiled back and winked causing her to blush and let out a small giggle. He then looked to the Hokage in his booth and saw that Jiraiya was with him in case things were to go south. Koda saw Anko in the stands and smirked to her, which she returned. Unknown to them all, one of the Kazekage's bodyguards saw one of the pendants Koda was wearing; more specifically the Uzumaki pendant. They gasped silently in shock and decided to keep an eye on the shinobi with varying headbands.

Koda had explained his new position as a Konoha/Mizu diplomat to Naruto, Lethe, Elena, and Akira-sensei. Naruto was happy while the others wished him well in Konoha. The girls would definitely miss him but they knew he would be able to visit. Akira just looked to the sky and thought, 'You would be proud of your son, my old friends. He's become a fine shinobi and a good man.'

Naruto then noticed that Sasuke wasn't with them and just chalked it off as him wanting to make a dramatic entrance for the crowd. Then the proctor, a senbon-chewing Jonin named Genma, approached the center of the arena and said to the crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, I proudly present to you the Genin who will be participating in these Final Fights!" The crowd erupted into cheers and the Genin could easily see that they were excited to watch them bet the living shit out of each other.

"Now then, everyone but Naruto Uzumaki and Neji Hyuuga head to the fighter's booth and we will begin the first match." The Genin complied and then Genma said, "The first match will begin… Now!"

Naruto vs. Neji

Both Konoha Genin stared each other down. Neji had a smirk on his face while Naruto's face was blank. The blank look unnerved the Hyuuga slightly, but he easily shook it off.

"You should give up, Uzumaki. Fate has declared me the winner of today's match."

Naruto was silent for a bit before he simply took out his sword and held it in an advanced kenjutsu stance. "Just shut up and fight, Neji."

Even Genma was surprised at the emotionless tone Naruto took. He couldn't help but think, 'He really is Konoha's most surprising shinobi.'

Neji activated his Byakugan and was shocked to see, not one, not two, but **three** separate chakra sources! The blonde had two in him; one large blue and one larger red, and his sword had its own which was a deep, amethyst color. 'How is that possible? No one should be able to have two chakra sources; let alone a **weapon** having its own chakra!'

He was brought out of his musings by Naruto charging at him with impressive speed. Neji utilized his Byakugan to the fullest and was narrowly dodging the quick strikes. He then jumped back to get some distance and pulled out a kunai to defend with. When Naruto attacked again, he dodged but parried some strikes as well. The larger blade, however, was too much for the smaller kunai. After blocking about five strikes, the kunai was sliced right through, leading to the Hyuuga receiving a cut on his chest. The wound stung but Neji persevered. Naruto then said, "_Furious Red Night_!" and suddenly appeared behind Neji. The Hyuuga saw most of the high-speed strikes with his bloodline and narrowly dodged over half of them; the others met their marks. Neji had cuts on his arms, legs, and torso; but he smirked at Naruto and said, "You're in range of my _8 Trigrams_."

Neji suddenly became a blur and was striking at Naruto's chakra points.

"2 palms… 4 palms… 8 palms… 16 palms… 32 palms… _8 Trigrams: 64 Palms_!"

The Hyuuga clan's ultimate Gentle Fist technique had hit Naruto completely, leaving him with barely any strength to stand. Kyubi, however, was not about to let his host fail here. He forced the points open with his own chakra and Naruto was surrounded in it. The crowd was in shock at seeing the blonde still standing and using **red** chakra. Those who knew of the Kyubi were worried about the seal, but the Hokage, Jiraiya, Anko, and Koda all thought one thing: 'Now we begin round two.'

Naruto glared at the Hyuuga, eyes burning with determination. "Let me ask you something, Neji. When you hurt Hinata-chan, did you feel any remorse at all?" His question shocked not only his opponent, but also the girl's father: Hiashi Hyuuga, the head of the Hyuuga Clan. He was watching the finals with his youngest daughter, Hanabi, and was intrigued by the blonde Jinchuriki. He also wondered just how close he was to his eldest that he would use such an endearing honorific for her.

Neji scoffed and said, "Of course not. She was the weaker of us and she had the chance to back down. When she didn't, she doomed herself to the fate of defeat. She is nothing more than a spineless, weak, and cowardly girl who can't even win a spar against her younger sister. She's a disgrace to the name 'Hyuuga'."

Naruto grew angrier with each word but was calmed by the soothing voice of Benitsuki. He then pumped Kyubi's chakra through the blade and said, "Then I don't need remorse for this…" He charged at the Hyuuga and stopped as a blood red orb surrounded the two. The orb was complete when he cried, "_Army of the Demon Lord_!"

In the Illusion

Neji found himself in the throne room of an old, gothic castle and saw a heavy storm outside one of the windows. He then heard snarling and saw countless humanoid fox demons behind Naruto, who was seated on the throne. "Kill him…" came the emotionless voice of the Jinchuriki. The demon army grinned their vulpine grins and charged at the Hyuuga, who prepared to fight them off with his taijutsu.

Outside the Illusion; 10 seconds later

After ten seconds of the orb being up, it suddenly started to crack and break apart. On the inside was Naruto, sheathing his sword, and Neji, who had a glazed look in his eye.

"Proctor-san, "Naruto began, "it's finished." He then started walking back to the fighter's booth and Neji suddenly collapsed into unconsciousness. The crowd was stunned. To think that the Kyubi Brat took down last year's "Rookie of the Year" and made it look easy; it was mind boggling. They then heard clapping come from many Konoha nin, the Mizu nin, the Hokage, and Jiraiya of the Sannin. They slowly began to clap with them and soon the entire stadium was clapping for the blonde Uzumaki. Naruto was stunned at that. He didn't think he would get this much praise, but he smiled and accepted it; he even waved to a few of the spectators.

Genma smirked and thought, 'I guess even a pariah like Naruto can best a genius like Neji. You did good, gaki. Your father would be proud. (1)' He then addressed the crowd saying, "The winner of the first round is… Naruto Uzumaki!" The clapping increased and soon people were cheering for Naruto who simply accepted it with a grateful smile.

When he reached the booth, he slapped hands with Koda who said, "Good job, cousin. I knew you would win. So, how does it feel to be on the receiving end of peoples' praise?"

Naruto grinned and said, "It feels pretty damn good, y'know!" Koda laughed at his verbal tic while Naruto cursed it. He just couldn't get rid of it, but at the same time, he didn't want to. It was one of the things that made him unique.

"Will Shino Aburame and Kankuro of the Desert please come down?" asked Genma.

"Proctor, I forfeit!" yelled the puppet user, much to the shock and suspicion of others; Shino being the suspicious one.

"Okay then… Will Temari of the Desert and Shikamaru Nara please come down?"

Temari rode the wind created by her battle fan to the arena floor and waited for Shika. Said Genin didn't want to fight and was about to forfeit, but Naruto was not going to have that; so he pushed the Nara down to the arena floor so that he could do his fight.

"Damn you, Naruto, you troublesome blonde!" yelled Shika.

"Ah, shut up, ya lazy bum, and fight her already! These people came to see some fights, and that's what we're here for; to give them fights!"

Shika merely sighed in defeat while Temari looked to Naruto and grinned. "Thanks, Whiskers! I'll be sure to pay you back for this!"

Naruto grinned back and said, "Just give us a good fight and we'll call it even."

She smirked at him and said, "Deal!"

Genma shook his head at that and said, "Round 3 of the Chunin Finals will begin… Now!"

Temari vs. Shika

Temari started the fight by immediately opening up her fan completely and unleashing her _Wind Scythe Jutsu_ at Shika. The Nara dodged by hiding behind a tree and using it for cover. Temari knew about Shika's shadow jutsu so she decided to keep her distance. Shikamaru began to space out behind the tree, staring up into the clouds.

"They're so nice...They're so free..." he said to himself.

Temari got pissed off again, thinking that Shikamaru is underestimating her with his spacing out, and used her _Wind Scythe Jutsu_ again. A tremendous gust of wind heads towards Shikamaru cutting up the trees around him. From the dust cloud that resulted from Temari's jutsu, Shikamaru's shadow stretched out for Temari. She flipped back a few times and the shadow fell short by a few inches. Temari marked a line in the ground because she realized that Shikamaru has a limit to the distance, size, and transform his shadow. She then uses her marker to tell where she is safe from the attack.

Shikamaru just sat back and started day dreaming again. He then put his hands together, forming his favorite thinking pose. After a couple minutes of battle planning, he came up with an idea. He noticed that all along the walls, near their bases, there were shadows. So, he decided to stretch his shadow all around the arena to get Temari from behind. Temari was distracted by the forming a basic _Clone Jutsu_ to notice the shadow coming up behind her. Just as she finished the final handsign, she froze due to being caught. Shika smirked at that and the two walked to the center of the arena and raised their right hands. Temari new that she lost the-

"That's it; I give up, "said Shika with a sigh. The entire stadium was stunned into silence. He had her on the ropes, and he just gave up!

"W-What the hell do you mean you give up?" Temari yelled.

"It means that, you troublesome woman. I don't have much chakra left, and my jutsu is gonna wear off in about 5 seconds." Sure enough, after 5 seconds, the shadow receded. "I'm done." And with that, he headed back to the stands.

Genma smirked at the kid's laziness, but had to admit that he had the makings of a Chunin already since he knew when to retreat when he needed to. "The winner is… Temari of the Desert!" The crowd cheered for Temari who just walked back to the booth in stunned silence.

Asuma Sarutobi, Shika's Jonin sensei, merely shook his head with a smile. "Leave it to Shika to quit while he's ahead."

"Will Sasuke Uchiha and Gaara of the Desert please come down?"

Suddenly, two swirls of wind appeared in the middle of the arena. One was the ever-stoic Gaara while the other was Kakashi Hatake and his student, Sasuke. Sasuke had a new look which consisted of a black, one-pieced version of his old outfit with many small arm-belts adorning his left arm and similar bands around both legs.

"Are we late?" Kakashi asked.

"Nope, you made it just in time."

Sasuke saw Naruto in the fighter's booth and smirked. 'So, the dobe won against the Hyuuga. Good, I was hoping to face him and that cousin of his in the finals.'

"Match 4 of the Chunin Finals will begin… Now!" Kakashi and Genma left the arena floor to give the two Genin the space that they needed.

Sasuke vs. Gaara

Both combatants stared each other down before Sasuke charged at insane speed. Gai and Lee looked on in interest since the Uchiha was almost as fast as Lee. Sasuke was using his chakra to increase the strength of his leg muscles and be fast enough to get within the Suna nin's guard. He was successful for a while until Gaara decided to surround himself within a dome of sand. Sasuke saw no way to break through it, so he decided he would pierce right through it with the _Chidori_. While crouching on the arena wall, he performed the necessary handsigns and his left hand was coated in Raiton chakra. He then charged at the dome and plunged his jutsu right through it, hitting Gaara's shoulder in the process. Gaara screamed in terror at the sight of his own blood, but no one had time to dwell on it due to a genjutsu activating around the stadium. Almost all of the shinobi were able to dispel the genjutsu and, suddenly, the Kage booth was caught in an explosion and the 'Kazekage' brought the Hokage to the roof with Jiraiya hot on their heels. The bodyguards of the Kazekage wound up being 4 Oto nin.

There was a large teen with an orange Mohawk, a skinny teen with black hair and six arms, a grey-haired teen that seemed to have two heads, and a red headed girl who seemed distracted for some reason. These four were the Sound Four of Oto. They tried to get a barrier up before the toad Sannin reached their master, but they were unable to in time. Orochimaru scowled at Jiraiya but then smirked at the idea of getting rid of his old sensei and fool of a teammate in one shot.

Arena Floor

Genma was in the middle of battle against the Suna Team's sensei and he saw the other Genin fighting against Oto and Suna nin. He then saw Gaara and his siblings heading for the forests surrounding the village followed by the Uchiha. He then yelled to the two Uzumaki, "You two!" They turned to him. "Go after the Suna Genin! They're escaping and Sasuke took off after them!" The Uzumaki boys nodded and Koda had the girls follow him. They started the chase, but Sakura decided to follow them.

With Sasuke vs. Gaara

Gaara was in a partial transformation caused by his Biju. He was clashing against the Uchiha and Sasuke was at a severe disadvantage. He had to rely on some power from his _Curse Mark_, but even that wasn't enough to take down the Jinchuriki. He charged one final _Chidori_ and clashed against Gaara's sand arm. The Raiton jutsu shredded the arm, but all it accomplished was tiring out Sasuke and pissing off an already angered Jinchuriki.

Suddenly a cry of, "_Uzumaki Suiton: Uzu Bullets_!" was heard and multiple shots of spiraling water hit Gaara and knocked him back. The Uzumaki boys had arrived along with Sakura. Koda had Lethe and Elena stay behind and keep Kankuro occupied. "Sakura, get Sasuke out of here!" ordered Naruto. She was about to, but a large sand claw hit her and pinned her to a nearby tree. Everyone noticed that it would shrink slightly every few minutes.

"You know, she'll die if you don't hurry? The only way to release the sand surrounding the girl is to defeat me! Now then, make me feel alive!" Gaara roared. He pounced on them and he was met with a water-covered fist in front of his face. The punch landed and Naruto appeared behind the Suna nin and sliced the sand arm off with his _Moon's Cry_ technique. Then, both Uzumaki pulled out their weapons; Naruto with his sword and Koda with his spear, and charged the Jinchuriki. Naruto was pumping his chakra with each swing while Koda channeled Raiton chakra through the blade of his spear. The constant cuts and shocks were too much for Gaara and he suddenly exploded in chakra and smoke. Out of the smoke came a giant sand raccoon-dog. It was, easily, five stories tall.

"There it is, "Temari whispered in fear. "The final transformation…"

Koda then rounded on the kunoichi and grabbed her shoulders. "How can we stop him? Please, a lot of innocent people will die if you don't tell us! Do you want their deaths on your conscience?" She shook her head in fear. "Then, how do we stop your teammate?"

"I don't know… No one has ever survived against him…"

"Damn it!" he raged. Then he looked to Naruto. "Can you summon?" Naruto nodded, but was focused on the upper body of Gaara appearing on the head of the demon. They saw Gaara do handsigns and then slump, as if asleep. They then saw the raccoon-dog do a 180 on its personality. It went from silent killer to a crazed demon. "Naruto, summon your biggest summon creature and do it quickly!"

They both took soldier pills and went through the handsigns. After offering the blood needed, they slammed their hands on the ground with dual cries of, "_Summoning Jutsu_!" Two large plumes of smoke appeared and out of them came a large toad and an equally large polar bear. They were Gamabunta and Yukira respectably.

"What the hell did you summon me for kid?" Bunta yelled.

"Koda-kun, what is the reason you saw fit to summon me?" came the feminine voice of Yukira.

Both boys said simultaneously, "We have a giant sand demon to take care of."

Both boss summons looked at the Ichibi and grimaced."Super…" both of them said sarcastically.

Yukira turned to Bunta and said, "Bunta-san, I will hold the Ichibi in place while you and your summoner try and awaken its Jinchuriki. It's the only way to stop the Biju."

"Understood, "the Chief Toad said.

Yukira then stood on her hind legs and roared at the Ichibi to get his attention. Not only did the Ichibi hear, but so did all of Konoha. She then charged at the sand demon and rammed into him. She then clamped her jaws and dug her claws into his body, holding him in place. Bunta took this opportunity to fling Naruto at Gaara with his tongue. Naruto rocketed at high speeds towards the red head and clocked him right in the cheek with a vicious right hook. When Gaara woke up, he regained control and immediately targeted Naruto with the sand filled form of his demon. The sand wrapped around Naruto's ankles and trapped him, so he drew on Kyubi's chakra and was released. He then rushed at Gaara, grabbed his shoulders, and head-butted him at full force. The impact was so great that both foreheads bled.

The sand then started breaking apart and both Jinchuriki fell towards the treetops. Bunta saw fit to dismiss himself and so did Yukira after being thanked by Koda. Koda then saw, from a separate treetop, the two Jinchuriki jump at each other for one last stand. Naruto ended up the final victor when he landed a hit on Gaara. Both fell to the ground below and landed painfully. Naruto was still determined to stop Gaara, but the Suna Jinchuriki became afraid of him.

"No, my existence will **not** be erased! Stay back!" he cried.

Naruto stopped and asked, "It hurts, doesn't it? Being alone, being hated, being feared… I know, Gaara; I know **exactly** what you've been through. That's why I know that there's still hope for you. You still have people, like your siblings, who care for you. Sure they are scared of you also, but they wouldn't stick around if they didn't care! It's not too late to change, Gaara; it's not too late to prove them wrong."

Koda, Gaara's siblings, Lethe, and Elena dropped down onto the scene. The Suna Genin got into defensive stances but Gaara said, "No, no more fighting. We're done here." His siblings relaxed and made to carry him away, but he looked over his shoulder and said to the Uzumaki boys, "I can see the bond between you two. That's your true strength, isn't it?" They nodded. "I thank the both of you for opening my eyes and helping me see what true strength is." And with that, the Suna Trio left.

Naruto went to retrieve his sword and teammates and the 6 Genin made their way back to the Leaf Village.

Earlier; Orochimaru vs. Sarutobi and Jiraiya

Orochimaru had been having trouble with his former teammate and sensei. So, he used is _Summoning: Reanimation_ technique and tried to summon the bodies of the previous Hokage. Fortunately, they were able to prevent the summoning of all but the Shodaime Hokage, Hashirama Senju. Orochimaru was not pleased with his results, but he still liked his odds.

Unfortunately, Sarutobi and Jiraiya were easily able to stop Hashirama with their impeccable teamwork. Jiraiya fought up close while his sensei provided ranged support. Even when Hashirama used his _Mokuton: Forest Genesis_ technique to make a forest within the barrier, the two still fought together as if they had been for years. Jiraiya ended it by using his student's prized technique, the _Rasengan_ on the Shodaime's head and removing the seal inside of it. Orochimaru was suddenly at a disadvantage, so he retreated like the snake he was.

His subordinates followed, although Tayuya did so with hesitation. She heard that there were two Uzumaki in the exams and she wanted to talk to them, but she didn't have the time to. 'Next time I see them, I'll talk to them.'

After the Invasion a week later

Konoha had lasted against the combined forces of Suna and Oto. They were thankful to the Mizu shinobi for their assistance in defending their home.

Sarutobi had recently received a letter from Suna explaining that they had recently recovered the body of their Kazekage and his guards in the sands of their surrounding desert. They promised to do whatever it took to repair the trust between their villages and Sarutobi believed them.

Now he was in his office with Naruto, Koda, Shika, the Mizu kunoichi, their respective sensei and Jiraiya in front of him. He smiled to them all and said, "I want to thank you all for your actions during the invasion and commend you on your skills displayed during the Exams. I also want to congratulate you all for making Chunin. You all have definitely earned it."

All of the Genin thanked the Hokage for his praise and their promotions and they bowed in respect to him. They all received their Chunin Vests; light green for Konoha, light blue for Mizu, and they all put them on proudly.

Jiraiya smiled at his godson and thought, 'Your folks would be proud of you, gaki. You did great.'

Mei smiled at Koda and thought the same. Akira smiled at his students and Koda and thought, 'You three did excellent, and Koda, I wish you the best.'

Kakashi smiled somberly while thinking, 'I may not have done much for you, Naruto, but I promise that I'll do better in the future.'

Asuma smirked at the bittersweet expression on Shika's face and thought, 'Oh boy, is he gonna hate the fact that he'll be **busier** than before!'

Sarutobi then dismissed them except for Jiraiya and the two Uzumaki. "I wanted to let the two of you know that I plan on letting the Council know about your family connection and the fact that I am having both the Namikaze and the Uzumaki Clans reinstated into Konoha. Unfortunately, they might not be too pleased with that and force you two into the CRA Act. I'm afraid that the best I can do to help you two is drop the minimum number of wives you need from four to two. Naruto, you will be the Namikaze Clan head while Koda will be the Uzumaki Clan head. Do you both understand?" They nodded. "Alright then, I will need the both of you to come with me tomorrow to address the Council about this decision at around 10 a.m."

"We'll be there, Jiji."

"Yeah, Hokage-sama, we'll be there."

Said Hokage chuckled and dismissed them. He then turned to Jiraiya and said, "I also will need you to prepare for a search and retrieval mission I'm going to send you and the boys on in 2 weeks."

"Let me guess: you're going to have us look for Tsunade, aren't you?"

"Yes, Jiraiya. I'm getting too old to keep running this village and I need someone younger to do so in my stead. I know you won't and can't do it due to your spy network and your *ahem* habits." Jiraiya had the decency to look sheepish at that. "So, Tsunade is our next best option."

"Alright, sensei, I'll take the boys to go look for her and I'll train them a little on the way."

"That's all I ask for, Jiraiya."

(End)

Wow, that chapter was long to write… And the boys are gonna have quite a lot on their plates pretty soon, huh? CRA, searching for Tsunade, becoming Chunin… It's a lot to deal with, but they'll push on through. Please R&R!

Next week: A meeting with the Council concerning the reinstatement of the Namikaze and the Uzumaki, first encounters with Akatsuki, and the beginning of the search for Tsunade. Stay tuned!

Also, don't forget to check out "Son of the Rain". It's under Naruto and Fuu under adv/rom.

This is pain17ification, signing off!


	12. Chapter 12: Council, Mission, & Akatsuki

Hey guys! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter "Bond of the Uzumaki". In this chapter, Koda and Naruto are introduced to the Council, are sent to search for Tsunade, and encounter the Akatsuki for the first time.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto! (Why, damn it? I've been a good boy like Tobi…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Biju speech"**

'**Biju thought/mental speech'**

"_Benitsuki's speech"_

'_Benitsuki's thoughts/mental speech'_

"_Jutsu_"

(Author Note)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 12: Meetings, New Roles, and Encounters

It was another day after the survival of the Oto/Suna invasion. Shinobi were sent left and right to help with the repairs to the village. Genin worked on the easiest repairs while Chunin and above worked on the more difficult repairs. Koda and Naruto were currently helping the repairs to the Academy when an Anbu showed up to escort them to their meeting with the Council of Konoha. Naruto decided to leave a few _Shadow Clones_ while Koda left a couple _Water Clones_ to continue with the repairs. Under her Cat mask, Yugao Uzuki smiled at the effort the boys put into the repairs, even if they weren't physically there to assist in them.

Hokage's Office

Sarutobi was waiting for Yugao to bring the boys so that they may attend the Council Meeting. He was worried about what the civilian side would say about the revelation of Naruto's heritage and his decision about making the boys Clan Heads. He was also worried about the eventual placement of the CRA Act on the boys, but he would do whatever he could to help them out.

He was brought out of his thoughts by the arrivals of Cat and the boys. He dismissed his Anbu and silently told the boys to follow him. On the way, he said to them, "Alright boys, you two should know that Council Meetings are very different from normal combat. It is still a battle, but it is a battle of words and ideals instead of strength and jutsu. So, I need you both to make sure that you be extremely careful about what you say to the Council; especially the civilian side and the three elders of the council: Homura, Kotaru, and Danzo. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir, "said the boys.

"Very good. Here we go."

Council Chamber

The inside of the Council Chamber of Konoha was very simple in its setup. The seats where in a horseshoe pattern, with the Hokage's seat in the very center and the rest of the Council surrounding him. On his left were the civilians of the Council, and the shinobi were on his right. In the three seats below him were the three Council Elders. Two chairs were placed in the center of the room, one for each of the boys. Anbu were hidden throughout the room and, to the surprise of many, Jiraiya sat on the windowsill in the room. He was there to help his godson and his cousin and be a secondary opinion for Sarutobi.

"I'd like to thank you all for attending this meeting, "began the Hokage. "We will be discussing what to do about Suna, the two boys in front of us, and I have an announcement for the end. Now, we will start with the issue with Suna. We were given reports that Orochimaru had deceived them into aiding Oto in their invasion of Konoha. I personally believe their reports on the murders of their Kazekage and his personal guard at the hands of Orochimaru. I also believe that we must reestablish our treaty with them."

"That is utter foolishness, Sarutobi, "said the old war-hawk, Danzo. He was an elderly man with bandages covering his entire right side and, unknown to many, is the leader of his own special force: ROOT. "We must take over Suna while it is still weak! If we let them recover, who knows what they may pull on us? We must forget this ridiculous treaty we have with them and just wipe them off the map!"

"Are you insane?" asked the head of the Inuzuka Clan, Tsume. She was a feral looking woman with the trademark Inuzuka markings and medium length hair that was short and spiky. "We are still recovering ourselves! And let's not forget that we didn't even see any sign of the Kazekage, and I doubt that he would let a psychotic criminal like Orochimaru be in charge of his entire force! I agree with Hokage-sama; we must reestablish our treaty with them."

"I concur, "said Shibi, head of the Aburame Clan. He had no features visible on him except for his afro-like hair and dark glasses. "It seems like the best logical decision to make at this point. If we were to try and invade Suna, like they were deceived into doing so to us, we would not only be splitting our number of capable shinobi, but we would be showing the other countries that we are strong enough to do so; which we are not. We may wipe out a great many of their forces, but the other nations will see it as us gaining too much strength and they will retaliate. We cannot afford that."

"All in favor of treaty reestablishment with Suna?" The shinobi side all agreed, even Hiashi, while Danzo and the civilians disagreed. Kotaru and Homura remained neutral on this vote. "As it stands, the treaty is to be reestablished," said the Hokage.

"What?" screeched Sakoto Haruno, a civilian Council Member and mother of Sakura. "We have the higher vote! The civilians and Elder Danzo beat the shinobi side 9-6!"

"That may be true, but treaties with **shinobi** countries are only voted by the **shinobi** side of the council and the elders. Civilians have no say in these matters. So, we are renegotiating the treaty. The next order of business: Naruto and Koda, please stand." Both boys complied. "Members of the council, I give you the last of the Uzumaki Clan."

The Council looked shocked at that. The shinobi were shocked because they thought Naruto was the only Uzumaki while the civilians were shocked that the "demon" child had family. Danzo was appraising the two while the other elders looked on in interest. Unknown to the Council, and even Sarutobi, they supported Naruto and knew his parents personally.

"Tell me, "began Danzo, "What is the relationship between you two?"

"We're cousins, "Koda answered. "Naruto's mother was the younger sister to my father. She apparently moved here after the fall Uzushiogakure while my father stayed in Mizu."

"How long have the two of you known each other?" asked Inoichi, head of the Yamanaka Clan. He had long blond hair reaching into his back, which he wore spiky on top and ending in a long ponytail, blue-green eyes and strong facial features.

"Since the beginning of the Exams, "answered Naruto. "We met the day before and talked about our families."

"Lies! You don't have a family, you brat!" yelled Sakoto.

"Troublesome… Then how the hell do you think he got here?" asked Shikaku, head of the Nara Clan. He looked like an older Shikamaru, but he had facial scars and a more mature aura.

"Isn't it obvious? He is the Kyubi reborn!"

"Haruno!" yelled Sarutobi. "You know the laws! Anbu, please escort her to the prison cells. I'll have Ibiki look at her later." After the Anbu did so, Sarutobi said, "Not only are they the last of the Uzumaki, but Naruto is also the son of two of our greatest shinobi." The shinobi council and two of the elders smirked while the civilians looked surprised and Danzo looked slightly angry. "Naruto is the son of Kushina Uzumaki and her husband, Minato Namikaze, our Yondaime Hokage."

It didn't even take five seconds for the civilian council to yell out in protest against these claims. They did not want to believe that the "demon" child was the son of their greatest hero. Danzo merely stated, "I demand proof! You claim that this boy and our great hero are kin, but I fail to see proof to your claim. Show us proper evidence to your statement."

"Who are you to order around Hokage-sama?" yelled out Chouza, head of the Akamichi Clan. He was a husky man with the Akamichi swirls on his cheeks and squinted eyes. "He demands total respect from everyone, even you Danzo. So you better show that respect."

"Enough, Chouza-san. If he wants proof, I will give him proof." Sarutobi then pulled out a file that held three documents. "This file contains the birth certificate of Naruto, a blood test result between him and his father, and a blood test result between him and his mother." He handed the file to Danzo, who looked at it with a sharp eye.

Hiashi also looked at the file documents with his Byakugan and saw that they were, indeed, real. "There's no point in looking anymore, Danzo. I have seen the reports with my Kekei Genkai. They are real; Naruto is the son of the Yondaime and Kushina Uzumaki."

Sarutobi smiled at that. If they didn't believe the eyes of the Byakugan, **and** the head of the Hyuuga Clan, then they were in serious need of a trip to the mental ward. "So, we all recognize Naruto as the son of the Yondaime, yes?" The shinobi side, Kotaru, and Homura all agreed instantly while the civilians and Danzo agreed after a little more thought. "Good, then I want to return the Namikaze and the Uzumaki Clans to Konoha straight away. Naruto will be Namikaze Head while Koda will be Uzumaki Head. All in favor?" This time, the shinobi side, two of the elders, and a few civilian side members agreed while the rest of the civilian side and Danzo did not. "The motion carries with a vote of 11-6. These two shinobi shall now be known as Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, Head of the Namikaze Clan, and Koda Shiba Uzumaki, head of the Uzumaki Clan. You two may now take your respective seats on the Council."

The boys were stunned at the outcome. They thought that the Council would not comply with the Hokage's request, but they did and now the two of them had their own clans and Council Seats. It was so unreal to them that they just let the Anbu escort them to their seats. Naruto sat between Sarutobi and Hiashi while Koda sat between Tsume and Shikaku.

Jiraiya smiled at the outcome. He was happy for Naruto and Koda and he made a mental promise to support them until his death. He then thought, 'The both of you boys have made your families proud today. You two did well.'

"Now, we reach the final order of business," Sarutobi began. He was interrupted, however, by Danzo.

"Sarutobi, since both of our new Clan Heads are the last of their clans, we must place them under the CRA Act."

Sarutobi was one step ahead of Danzo and said, "We have already discussed the CRA and the three of us have agreed that they must each have a minimum of two wives to rebuild their clans. So, there is no need to discuss that matter anymore, Danzo." Danzo started to curse under his breath before he heard Sarutobi speak again. "And that's 'Hokage-sama' to you, Danzo. I trust you will remember that?" he asked while releasing a small amount of KI. Danzo nodded reluctantly and let the Hokage continue. "The last order of business is that I'm retiring as Hokage of Konoha." The Council was shocked at this. Only Jiraiya knew that Sarutobi would do so. "I am not retiring just yet, though. I've already chosen my successor, and that person shall be: Tsunade Senju."

"She's been missing for years!" yelled out Danzo. "How can you expect her to be Hokage when we have no idea of her whereabouts?"

"Simple; I will have Jiraiya, along with the Namikaze and Uzumaki Clan Heads look for her. Both Heads are Chunin in rank and skill and Jiraiya is of the Sannin. They shouldn't have any trouble finding my old student. Do you three accept the mission I'm assigning to you?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama, "all three of them said.

"Very good. The three of you will leave tomorrow. This meeting of the Council is now adjourned." The members stood, bowed to the Hokage, and left the chamber. Hiashi, however, asked Naruto for a private word while Koda went to talk to the Older Generation Ino-Shika-Cho about his new duties as a member of the Council.

Hiashi wanted to talk to Naruto about his and Hinata's relationship. Naruto explained why they kept their friendship a secret and asked for his forgiveness, along with permission to court his daughter. Hiashi was impressed with Naruto's maturity and forgave him. He did tell Naruto that he would let him court Hinata should he prove himself. When Naruto asked how, Hiashi merely smiled and replied, "Bring back Tsunade, and I will allow you and Hinata to date." And with that, Hiashi left Naruto to his thoughts.

Koda learned plenty from the three Clan Heads. Tsume came up and helped Koda with understanding his duties as well. He was to attend all meetings and send someone in his place should he be unable to attend himself. He was also to attend formal events that require the presence of the Clan Heads and he must present himself, and his clan, as a respective group of Konoha. Koda thanked them and already figured out who to have attend the meetings should he be unavailable: his girlfriend, Anko Mitarashi.

Later that day with the boys and Jiraiya

Jiraiya offered to escort the boys to their respective Clan Estates. Luckily for both of them, the Namikaze and Uzumaki Estates were right next to each other. Turns out, Kushina was Uzumaki Head when she was alive and merely moved into the Namikaze Estate after marrying Minato. She still did her part as Uzumaki Head; she just didn't live in her Clan Home.

When they reached the Uzumaki Estate, they saw that it was a two story home that had a nice garden, two ponds filled with koi fish, and they saw walls that they believed surrounded an onsen. The house itself was navy blue in color with a black roof and had a decent amount of windows to view the outside.

They then looked to the Namikaze Estate, only to see it was almost exactly the same. The only differences were that it had one pond, no visible signs of an onsen, and the house was grey with a dark yellow roof.

"As you can see, both clans seemed to have to have simple tastes. But I've been inside both Estates, and they have a very 'homey' feel to them. I'm sure that you both will like your new homes. Unfortunately, they need to be cleaned out and have the utilities restarted before you both can move in. Don't worry about it though; I'll pay for a hotel room for you two."

"Thanks, Jiraiya-san, "Koda said.

"Yeah, thanks, Ero-sennin, "Naruto said with a smile.

"Don't call me that, gaki!" yelled the Toad Sage much to the enjoyment of the boys. "Anyway, meet me at the gates at 8am sharp. We need to make sure that we get to Tsunade before Orochimaru, because I'm sure that he's going to try and get to her too."

Both nodded and followed Jiraiya to a simple hotel. After paying for two rooms, one for Jiraiya and one for the boys, Jiraiya went to do some "research" while Koda decided to find Anko and Naruto tagged along.

Konoha Shopping District

The boys were heading for the Dango Bar to try and find Anko. Naruto asked why they were looking for her and Koda told him about their duties as a member of the Council and told him that he was gonna ask Anko to be his stand-in should he be unavailable for a Council Meeting. Naruto was surprised at that and thought about who he would have as his stand-in. He decided on Iruka since he was on best terms with him. Naruto then decided to head out and find Iruka while Koda continued his search for Anko.

Unknown to them both, they were being followed by two men in black cloaks with a red cloud design. They both started following Naruto and left Koda alone. After all, he wasn't their target; the Kyubi Jinchuriki was.

With the Jonin Sensei

Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai were in a Tea Shop just catching up. They noticed Koda and Naruto walking through the street and they seemed to be looking for something or someone.

"Say, Kakashi, "Asuma started, "Who's that guy hanging out with Naruto?"

"Yea, they were hanging out together throughout most of the Chunin Exams, "Kurenai added.

"Hmm? Oh, he's Koda Uzumaki, a cousin of Naruto's." The two looked shocked at Kakashi's statement. "Yea, I was shocked too. But it's true; the two of them are cousins by Naruto's mother. She was Koda's aunt."

"Then how come we haven't heard of him until now?" asked Asuma.

Kakashi shrugged and said, "I don't think that they knew of each other until the Exams. They seemed to have met the day before and really hit it off."

They then saw Naruto heading back down the road, alone this time. They also noticed that he was being followed by a couple people in strange cloaks. Kakashi gave the signal to follow and make sure Naruto was alright.

With Koda

Koda had checked the Dango Bar for Anko, but the bartender said that she was doing a C-Rank mission for the village and would most likely be back later that evening. Koda thanked the man and started heading back to the hotel room. He then heard the sounds of battle and heard Naruto yelling at someone. He rushed to the area as fast as he could.

Earlier with Naruto

Naruto had sensed people with ill intent following him, so he led them to a training ground. He then called out, "I know you're there; come out."

Out of the foliage came two men; one a tall man with blue skin and gill-like markings on his cheeks, and the other a shorter, black haired man with onyx eyes.

"Very perceptive, Naruto-kun, "the shorter one said. "You must be either very brave, foolish, or both to have led us here alone."

"Hey Itachi, why don't we give the little gaki a sporting chance before we take him; just to make things a little more… fun?" asked the taller one.

The now named Itachi replied, "We aren't here to make a scene, Kisame. If we can take him without a fight, then it'll be much more efficient and less time consuming than fighting him."

"And why do you two want to take me?" asked Naruto.

"We are here for the Kyubi, and since you have him sealed within you, we need to take you with us."

"**Careful Kit, the shorter one smells of that accursed Uchiha Clan. If he is, then you're going to have your hands full, "**warned the Kyubi.

Naruto mentally nodded and asked, "You wouldn't happen to be Itachi **Uchiha**, would you? The same guy who killed off his whole clan in one night?"

Itachi merely nodded and said, "Please don't make this harder on yourself, Naruto-kun. Just come quietly and there won't be any problems."

Naruto's answer was to pull out Benitsuki and get in a defensive stance. "Never, "he said defiantly.

Itachi sighed while Kisame grinned. He was about to attack before the Konoha Jonin showed up. Kakashi was in front of Naruto while Asuma and Kurenai were flanking him.

"So, Itachi Uchiha? You're here for Naruto I presume?" asked Kakashi.

"Indeed, Kakashi. Now stand aside and let us apprehend him."

"Naruto, get out of here and send us some backup. We're going to need it."

"No way, Kakashi. I'm gonna stay and fight, "he replied.

"This isn't the time for disobedience! They're here for you, so you've got to get somewhere safe!"

"Not gonna happen. I'm staying and there isn't a thing you can do to stop me." He then charged at the two, much to the shock of the Jonin, and clashed swords with Kisame. Kisame had his sword wrapped in bandages but it seemed to wriggle around in them.

"My sword, Samehada, doesn't cut kid; it shreds!" Kisame then moved his sword and ripped some skin from Naruto's arm. Naruto cried out in pain and was clutching his bleeding limb.

"You bastard! I'll get you for that!" he yelled.

Kisame merely laughed at the thrill of the fight and charged, only to clash Samehada with Asuma's trench knives. Asuma was empowering his knives with Fuuton chakra, but Samehada seemed to absorb it all and Asuma was pushed back. "Not only does Samehada shred, it absorbs chakra as well."

'Damn, this isn't good, 'Asuma thought. He then looked to Kakashi and saw him and Kurenai fighting with Itachi. Even from a distance, he saw that the Uchiha was dominating the fight. Itachi then locked eyes with Kakashi and in about 2 seconds, Kakashi fell unconscious. Kurenai was then kicked out of the way by Itachi.

Asuma kept Kisame at a distance with his use of Fuuton jutsu. He then saw Naruto trying to hold out against Itachi. Itachi had pulled out a tanto blade and sparks were flying from the clashing swords.

Suddenly, Koda jumped into the fray out of nowhere and was helping out Naruto with his lance. The boys were able to block and dodge, but they couldn't hit Itachi because of his Sharingan. Naruto warned Koda about Itachi's eyes and Koda was paying attention to his arms and legs to try and predict attacks. Might Gai then appeared and took over the fighting for the boys and they turned their sights on Kisame. Koda recognized him as one of the 7 Shinobi Swordsmen of Mizu, and prepared to fight defensively.

Then Itachi jumped away and Kisame followed. Itachi said, "We aren't here to start a war with Konoha. We don't have to apprehend the Kyubi Jinchuriki now, but we will be back someday. Until then, Naruto-kun, get stronger. And you, "he said pointing to Koda, "should do the same. Farewell." The two disappeared into the trees after that.

Naruto was grabbing his arm in pain and Koda helped him to the hospital while Gai carried Kakashi and the other two went to warn Sarutobi.

Later that night; Hospital

Naruto was checked in, wrapped up, and healed up within the span of a couple hours. He was told to stay overnight just to be safe and restore his chakra. Jiraiya had come to visit and make sure he was alright. After he found out his godson was fine, he began scolding him for his reckless decision to fight two members of Akatsuki. He explained to the boys, and Sarutobi who was also visiting, that they were a group of S-Rank criminals who were after the Jinchuriki and their respective Biju. He then said that they would have to be extra cautious on the road and the boys agreed.

Koda left to go find Anko since Sarutobi told him that she had returned from her mission. Koda went to the bar again and saw her sitting at her usual spot at the counter.

"So, how was your mission, Anko-chan?" asked Koda.

She turned and saw him smiling at her. She also saw his new Chunin jacket and smirked at him. "It was a simple delivery mission; no problems at all. But look at you, Mr. Chunin! I didn't know you were promoted; congrats!"

He grinned and thanked her. After the both of them ate and talked about their respective fights during the invasion, Koda then said, "Hokage-sama brought Naruto and me to a Council Meeting concerning our ranks as members of clans. The Council, after having seen proof of Naruto's status as the son of the Yondaime, agreed to make Naruto the new Head of the Namikaze Clan and made me the new Uzumaki Clan Head, as well as giving us positions on the Council." Anko was wide eyed at that. "I know; it shocked us too. But what I'm really getting at is that a Council Member needs a stand-in, just in case they can't make it to a meeting. I was wondering if you would be interested in being my stand-in, Anko-chan."

Anko was still shocked at what happened and couldn't answer right away. Koda waited for her answer patiently and was smiling at the look on her face. After a couple minutes, she shook off her shock, smiled at Koda, and said, "Yea, I'll be your stand-in, Koda-kun. I'll just need to know how to behave during a meeting."

Koda told her that the Elder Ino-Shika-Cho were very helpful, along with the Inuzuka Clan Head. She thanked him for that and made plans to go talk to Tsume about it soon. Koda then told her about the mission that he had with Jiraiya and Naruto and that they would be gone for at least a couple weeks. She wasn't too happy with that, but she also knew that they needed Tsunade so that she could help the Leaf Village. She wished him luck and he walked her home. After wishing her goodnight, he was pulled in for fiery goodnight kiss, and he left for his hotel.

Tomorrow, the new Clan Heads and Jiraiya of the Sannin would set out on one of the toughest missions they would ever have.

(End)

Well, the boys are Clan Heads and Council Members now! And they have a very important mission to do: find and bring back Tsunade Senju. What will happen on their mission? Will they find her? Will they take longer than necessary due to Jiraiya's perverted tendencies? You'll have to check it out next week! Please R&R!

Next week: The search for Tsunade begins! And Orochimaru is looking for her as well, so the three better keep on their toes during this mission! Stay tuned!

Until then, I'm pain17ification, signing off! Later!


	13. Chapter 13: On the road to meet Tsunade

Hey guys! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter "Bond of the Uzumaki". The search for Tsunade begins and there will be a few twists to the canon (obviously…). Also, the Uzumaki bloodlines are explained in detail.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or The Last Airbender! (Why, damn it? I've been a good boy like Tobi…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Biju speech"**

'**Biju thought/mental speech'**

"_Benitsuki's speech"_

'_Benitsuki's thoughts/mental speech'_

"_Jutsu_"

(Author Note)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 13: Meeting Tsunade

Early in the morning, the trio of Jiraiya, Naruto, and Koda set off on their mission to find Tsunade. Naruto was given a clean bill of health and was deemed fit to go. Jiraiya figured that his old teammate would be in Fire Country, but she wouldn't be anywhere near Konoha due to her past problems with the village. So he decided that they would set off for Tanzaku Gai, the town with the most gambling and bars in Fire Country; besides Konoha of course.

On the road 2 days later

It had been a couple days before the three had set off. The boys sparred whenever they stopped walking and Jiraiya observed and gave them his input and advice on their fighting styles. Jiraiya had pointed out that Naruto was too reckless in his fights while Koda was overly cautious, which led to slight hesitation in his attacks. Jiraiya remedied these problems by having Naruto try and relax during his fights and he had Koda try a couple of risks during his own.

His advice helped them; but only slightly.

Naruto was still too jittery in his fights and Koda seemed to over think even when he pulled off risky moves. Jiraiya figured that Naruto having too much chakra and having two demonic entities within his psyche were making him have too much anxiety and adrenaline to focus on fighting rationally and he urged Naruto to meditate as often as he could in order to calm himself and the two demons he harbored (1).

Koda was a different story altogether. He was like Shika in the area over coming up with too many outcomes in his fights. He had heard that Koda never showed this problem before and he inquired the Uzumaki why. His answer was actually pretty unexpected.

"I'm just nervous, Jiraiya-san. I mean, in the Exams, I was only responsible for myself and that was it. Now, I have to worry about not just myself but you and Naruto as well. If I make a mistake, it could lead to problems for the both of you in the future."

Jiraiya now understood what was wrong with Koda. He had the same mentality as a Chunin out on his first mission as Squad Leader. They were always worried about how their actions would affect the wellbeing of those under his command. Jiraiya had no choice but to let Koda figure out how to deal with it himself. Talking wouldn't help and only experience in the field would help the Uzumaki Head relax and have more confidence in himself.

He sighed at that. It was gonna be a **long** trip.

Night of day 2

After the guys ate their dinner around their campfire, Jiraiya told them to keep watch for the first half of the night and he would take the next half. Naruto saw this as the perfect opportunity to get to know more about his cousin.

"Hey, Koda?"

"Yea?"

"I was wondering what your life was like before we met during the Exams."

Koda was silent for a bit, just staring at the fire as if in a trance. "…What did you want to know?"

"Well, I was wondering what Uncle Terqua and Aunt Kiara were like."

Koda gained a small smile at that. "They were two of Mizu's most revered shinobi. My father was an Uzumaki obviously and he had such a high control over the Waterbender bloodline that he was able to create water from the moisture in the air itself."

"Wait, you mean like Nidaime-sama?"

"No. the Nidaime Hokage actually had learned how to perform his high level Suiton manipulation from the Uzumaki themselves. The Uzumaki were able to naturally use the moisture while the Nidaime had to focus more chakra into his manipulation. He became a legend for that and earned the title of 'Honorary Uzumaki' from the clan. He was the first, and only, outsider to ever be able to do so."

"Wow… Hey, I've been meaning to ask; what are the Uzumaki bloodlines?"

Koda paused at that question. He had to think of how to properly explain it to the Namikaze Head. "The Uzumaki bloodlines were divided into three categories: common, rare, and once a generation. The 'common' bloodline is called the 'Whirlpool Soul'. It revolved around the fact that all Uzumaki had higher chakra levels, incredible longevity, and the healing factor we all have. Your mother took it a step further by having a unique chakra that she was able to produce as _Chakra Chains_ used to attack or trap her opponents. Only a few Uzumaki were able to pull off that advanced level of 'Whirlpool Soul' though.

"The 'rare' bloodline is the 'Waterbender' bloodline. It allows us to manipulate water sources and perform Suiton jutsu to such a degree that it seemed as if the water was an extension of ourselves. There were two levels of this side of the bloodline. 'Benders' were anyone who was able to manipulate existing water sources only. Those who were able to make their own water sources from air moisture, such as my father and the Nidaime Hokage, were known as 'Avatars of Water' because they seemed to actually move and act as if they actually were the water itself. They were able to move and flow with the movements of our country's source of pride. I'm currently at the level of 'Bender' and am trying to work my way up to 'Avatar' status.

"The bloodline that comes only once a generation is known as the Rinnegan. It was the eye that the Rikudo Sennin was rumored to have. I don't know much about this bloodline except what I just told you, though."

Naruto was slowly processing all the info that Koda had just given him. To think that the Uzumaki had so much potential and that he and Koda were the last of the clan. "How does one know if they have the Waterbender bloodline?"

"You would feel a pull on your mind from sources of water; whether it is a lake or a cup of it. We feel connected to it, like our souls depend on it for survival. Have you felt that, Naruto?"

Naruto shook his head in the negative. "No, I haven't. I haven't felt anything like that at all."

"Then you aren't a Bender. And don't ask me how someone with the Rinnegan knows if they have it because I sure as hell don't have it. I would guess that you could literary 'feel' a connection to the Rinnegan like a Bender feels a connection to the water."

"Alright, I understand. Now, what about Aunt Kiara?"

"Mom was born of the small clan of Shiba. They weren't a shinobi clan; rather they were a clan that specialized in psychology or the workings of the human mind. Mom used her studies in the subject to develop genjutsu at a level of peerless torture and euphoria."

"What does that mean?" asked a confused Naruto.

"It means that her genjutsu could either put a victim in a state of extreme mental pain as if they were going through the worst tortures imaginable or in a state of euphoric bliss that they were too relaxed to care about keeping secrets."

"Whoa… Neechan would **love** to learn that… Can you do that too?"

Koda shook his head no. "I can only use basic psychological practices. Mom was the only known Shiba member who became a shinobi and put our studies to use on a battlefield."

"What happened to the Shiba Clan?"

"They're nomads and travel all over the Elemental Nations. I haven't heard from them since I was five when they were trying to contact kaa-san."

"So, what were they like?"

"Dad was the epitome of the phrase 'good man'. He was a hard worker, loving husband to my mother, and he put us before anything. He taught me everything I know and always praised my accomplishments. My father was also a very modest man since he turned down all offers of nobility and chose to remain where he was in life. Mom was the gentlest woman I ever had the pleasure of knowing. She had such an aura of peace and tranquility that when she entered a room full of tension, it calmed down completely. She gave me so much love and care that I originally had no intentions of being an official shinobi just so I could stay with her. You would've loved her and she would have loved you in return, Naruto. She worked part time at the orphanage and all the children loved her. It was because of her that I met Lethe and Elena in the first place."

Naruto saw that along with his smile Koda had a few tears of joy going down his cheeks. "They sound like wonderful people."

Koda wiped the tears and said, "Yea, they were. But they're gone now, and Orochimaru took them from me. He will pay for that; mark my words."

Koda went to wake up Jiraiya after that oath and Naruto watched his cousin with a look of understanding. 'He lost everything like I did. But, I won't let him face his troubles alone. We're family, and family sticks together.'

The next morning

The trio was continuing their journey to Tanzaku Gai when Naruto complained about not having anything to train in. Jiraiya decided to teach Naruto a jutsu just to shut him up. He went with his father's second most known jutsu: the _Rasengan_. He had already decided to teach him the jutsu and he had all the materials needed to do so.

"Alright Naruto, watch closely. This is the _Rasengan_." Jiraiya held out his right hand and on the palm, an orb made of pure chakra was produced. The orb started to spin internally and gain power, but it never dispersed its energy. Jiraiya then thrust the sphere into a tree and the jutsu grinded into it and blasted away the tree into a few more behind it. "There are three steps to mastering this jutsu: rotation, power, and stability. You'll start with rotation first."

He then pulled out a balloon and asked Koda to fill it up with water and the teen complied. The sage then handed the balloon to Naruto and had Koda help him make another. Jiraiya then demonstrated what he wanted Naruto to do. The balloon in Jiraiya's hand seemed to morph and spasm before the water on the inside burst right through it.

Naruto was amazed at what happened and he started trying to recreate the demonstration right away. Koda, seeing how Naruto was busy training in his father's jutsu, decided to resume his Waterbender training. He was to focus on the moisture in the air and try to will it to follow his commands. Since this was the highest level of Waterbending, it required an extreme amount of focus and concentration. He decided to try and make his hand wet from the water moisture first then move on from there.

Jiraiya noticed the two in deep concentration and left them alone.

Day 4

Naruto had gotten closer and closer to breaking the balloon with rotation. He just couldn't focus on it long enough to do so. He was at his wits end about it and was about to lose it. He then turned to Koda and saw him in the middle of his own training. He had his right palm up and was using his left hand to try and gather water moisture. Naruto noticed Koda's left hand moving in a swirling motion over his right and got an idea. He would focus on simple rotation with his right hand and use his left hand, infused with more rotating chakra, to help rotate the water in the balloon. He immediately went to work and was unaware that Jiraiya saw the boy's epiphany.

Jiraiya was proud of his godson's observation and his remedy to the problems he had with the first step. It seemed as if the kid was on his way. He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of the balloon bursting and water spraying all over Naruto. Naruto didn't care about that and was merely grinning foxily at his accomplishment.

Jiraiya nodded at the accomplishment and produced a rubber ball from his pocket. "Good work, Naruto. Now, the next step is power. You take what you know from the first step, but you add much more chakra to it and the result is…" he finished by demonstrating the rubber ball bursting in his palm, "…that."

Naruto was given another rubber ball and got to work. Koda was proud of his cousin's accomplishment. He wasn't the only one who accomplished something though. Koda had also achieved a water covered palm from his efforts. He was proud but not completely satisfied. He knew that he could do it with two hands, but now he had to try it with only **one**. The next step had begun for the boys.

2 days later (day 6)

Naruto was seriously irritated. He was only able to make a small hole in the ball; nothing more! He had gone through a dozen and now only had two left. Jiraiya had only brought 15 and 13 were already spent; due to Jiraiya's demonstration and Naruto's efforts.

Koda was fairing any better. He was able to make decent amounts of water with two hands, but it was no more than that of an average cup of water. With one hand, he was only able to get his fingertips slightly damp; that was it!

Jiraiya was snickering at their fuming faces and thought back to when Minato had the same look when he had trouble creating the _Rasengan_ and _Hiraishin_ for the first time. It was a riot seeing the "always calm" kid become an irritated, fuming mess.

Naruto decided to ask the sage for any tips and Jiraiya decided to give him a small hint. He took Naruto's right palm and drew a small spiral on it with ink. "Now, I want you to concentrate on that mark and pour all your energy and rotation into it."

Naruto was slightly skeptical, but the man hadn't steered him wrong yet, so he got to work. He began pouring all the chakra he could handle into the ball and began the rotation process. Throughout it all, Naruto was focusing on the mark Jiraiya made and concentrated on completing the jutsu. His eyes were closed in concentration, so he didn't see how well he was doing. The ball was morphing and bulging just like the balloon had and suddenly it exploded in his hand, resulting in the completion of Step 2 and a burnt right palm.

Naruto was panting in exhaustion and Jiraiya was amazed at the boy's potential. The villagers were hindering **this** amount of potential? Oh well, their loss was his gain.

"Good job, gaki. Now, why don't you rest? You deserve it." Naruto merely nodded tiredly and Jiraiya turned to Koda. "How's your training coming along?"

Koda shook his head in irritation. "Not so well. I can only make small amounts of water and it takes all of my concentration to make it happen."

Jiraiya thought about it for a while and asked, "How did your ancestors do it? Were any of your parents able to?"

"Yea, my father was able to. And he said it was all about flowing like… the… water. Ah, damn it! I can't believe that the answer was right in front of me the whole time!" Jiraiya looked confused so Koda explained. "Avatars were Waterbending masters and taught that to become one was to become like the water itself; flowing and moving calmly like it does. So, all I have to do is relax and try again, only much calmer than I have been before."

Koda closed his eyes and took a calming breath before trying again with two hands. At first only a small amount came, but after a little bit, it grew in size and it was soon enough to fill up about one liter. Koda opened his eyes and was amazed at the amount that he had made. He used what he made to fill up one of his waterskins to about halfway and tried again, with one hand this time. The result was a water-covered palm in about the same amount of time it took to make a liter of water. Koda was incredibly happy with the results and was congratulated by the other two.

Jiraiya then noticed that they were near Tanzaku Gai and they rushed to the town.

In the town a couple hours later

The guys were able to pay for a hotel room for three and were currently exploring the town. They were interested that the castle in the town Jiraiya told them about was crushed in a certain area. They had investigated but found only a few senbon needles and footprints that could've belonged to anyone.

Jiraiya had decided to get something to eat and the boys agreed. They went to a bar of sorts, much to the ire of the two Clan Heads, and got a table. Jiraiya was checking out the people around the bar when he saw a table that had three women and a small pig.

The first woman was a blonde with her hair styled in two tails behind her head. She was wearing a grey, kimono-style blouse with no sleeves, held closed by a broad, dark bluish-grey obi that matched her pants. Her blouse was closed quite low, revealing her sizeable cleavage. Over it all, she wore a green robe.

The next woman was a brunette with shoulder length hair. She wore a long, bluish-black kimono with white trimmings, held closed by a white obi, and open-toed sandals with low heels. The small pig was also resting in her lap.

The last one was a girl about the same age as Naruto with mint green hair that had an orange clip in it. She had an outfit consisting of a short, sleeveless white midriff shirt with fishnet armor underneath, long white armlets, and fishnet shorts with a short white apron skirt over it. She had a cylindrical tube next to her that obviously was meant to hold something.

Jiraiya easily recognized the first two as Tsunade and her assistant/apprentice Shizune. The last girl was a mystery. He stood up and walked to their table, followed by the clueless boys.

"Tsunade, we finally found you!" he exclaimed happily.

The blonde looked shocked at seeing her other teammate. She had already had a run-in with Orochimaru and three of his subordinates; one of which she was asked to help cure his deadly disease. Now, she was caught by her other teammate, Jiraiya. "What the hell? Why are you here, Jiraiya?"

"We were asked to locate you."

"Who's 'we'?"

"Myself and these two behind me," Jiraiya answered, indicating Naruto and Koda. The boys bowed respectably and the mystery girl couldn't help but blush at the blonde haired boy. He looked very handsome and his whisker marks seemed so exotic to her.

"And who are these brats?" asked the Slug Princess.

The boys took this opportunity to introduce themselves. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, new Head of the Namikaze clan." Tsunade's and Shizune's eyes widened at that.

"And I'm Koda Shiba Uzumaki, new Head of the Uzumaki Clan." Tsunade's eyes widened a little more at that. To think that, not one, but two of her grandmother's clan members were alive; it was astounding.

The mystery girl got up and introduced herself. "Hi, I'm Fuu Chomei (2)!" she said cheerfully and shook their hands. "I used to be from Takigakure, but after I… left, I ran into Tsunade-sama and Shizune-san and began traveling with them. It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise," the boys replied.

"Anyways, "Jiraiya interrupted, "We came to bring you back to Konoha, Tsunade. Sarutobi-sensei asked for us to find you."

"Hmph, then you might as well go back. I have no intention of returning; not after what happened."

The boys were confused and Naruto asked, "What happened to you in Konoha?"

Tsunade looked away and said, "I lost the two most important people to me because of Konoha's involvement in war."

The boys had looks of pity and understanding. "I've lost people too. But I still strive to move forward and live my life, "Naruto said.

"Yeah, I lost some people too, but you never really lose them, "Koda added.

"What?" asked Tsunade.

Naruto and Koda smiled and Naruto said, "Koda's right. You never really lose them; they're still right here." He pointed his thumb to his heart. "They'll always be in your heart no matter what happens to them."

"That's right. No matter how far away they may be, even as far as death itself, the ones you love never leave you, "Koda finished.

The two Sannin, Shizune, and Fuu were all shocked at their words and maturity. Jiraiya smiled and thought that the boys would be great Clan Heads one day. Tsunade was lost in thought over what they had said and Shizune was looking at her master in worry. Fuu thought about the ones that she had lost and smiled at the thought of them never truly leaving her. It was a good philosophy to have.

Suddenly, Tsunade stood up and began to leave. Before she exited out the door, she turned to the boys and said, "While the idea of them never having left me is nice, it still doesn't remove the fact that they've gone where I cannot see them until I meet the same fate as them." She then left and was followed by the other two.

Before Fuu left, she looked to the three, bowed politely, and said, "Sorry about Tsunade-sama. I'm sure what you said got to her, but I think she just needs to think about it a little more. We're staying in town for a few more days, so you guys can still try and talk to her if you want." And with that, she left and the guys had no choice but to stay and try to convince the Slug Princess to return to Konoha.

Jiraiya rubbed his temples and muttered, "Yep, I was right; this is gonna be a **long** trip…"

(End)

1- Kyubi is stuck in Naruto's seal while Benitsuki stays with him in his soul because she is bound to him as his weapon.

2- Chomei is the name of Fuu's Biju in the manga, so I just decided to make it her surname in this story.

So, what did y'all think? Was it good, bad, or just okay? What did you think of the Uzumaki bloodlines or the training the boys went through? I happily await your reviews and/or responses, so please R&R!

Next week: The boys make a bet with Tsunade while Jiraiya tries convincing her about returning to Konoha. Orochimaru reappears as well! Who did the snake bring with him? What will the bet between Tsunade and the boys be? What will happen when Orochimaru reunites with his old teammates again? Stay tuned to find out!

This is pain17ification; see you guys next week!


	14. Chapter 14: A Bet and Battle

Hey guys! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter "Bond of the Uzumaki". Tsunade makes a bet and the group faces off against the snake, Orochimaru.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto! (Why, damn it? I've been a good boy like Tobi…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Biju speech"**

'**Biju thought/mental speech'**

"_Benitsuki's speech"_

'_Benitsuki's thoughts/mental speech'_

"_Jutsu_"

(Author Note)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 14: A Bet and Battle

The next morning, Naruto and Koda were back on track with their respective training while Fuu observed. When she was asked about that, she smiled and said, "You two are interesting." The boys saw no deception, so they allowed her to watch.

Jiraiya was busy trying to convince Tsunade about returning to Konoha, but she was adamant in her refusal. She wanted nothing to do with Konoha and she wanted her ex-teammate to realize that. Shizune was neutral on the subject. She was saddened about not returning home, but she sympathized with her master. After all, her master's late lover was her uncle.

While Tsunade let Jiraiya know that she wasn't planning on returning, she did state that if Fuu wanted to then she could. She had found the poor girl tired and starved for food in the middle of the road a few months back. When asked where she came from, the Slug Sannin noticed Fuu's eyes darken when she stated that she was from Takigakure. Over the months, Tsunade had gotten the chance to observe the mint-haired girl, and she came up with a conclusion; the girl was a Jinchuriki. She had all the "symptoms": high chakra levels, a slight healing factor, and a second chakra source that seemed much more potent and dark.

When Jiraiya was told this, he was surprised but not completely. It was surprising that the girl was a container, but not so much the "disliking her home village" part. Most countries saw their Jinchuriki as nothing more than weapons meant to defend their home. They failed to see that the containers were people too; people with hopes, dreams, and feelings. Jiraiya was curious about the girl's seal, but he decided to look into it at a later date. At the present time, he had to convince Tsunade to return.

Later that evening

The boys were still hard at work training. Naruto was busy working on the final step of the _Rasengan_: stability. To accomplish this, he had to take the first two steps and maintain the spherical shape of the technique inside of an average balloon. The point was to keep the technique from ripping through the balloon itself. It was no surprise that Naruto was easily frustrated with this step.

Koda was working on making his own water from air moisture. He was able to do so with two hands fairly easily, but one-handed was still quite a challenge. He wasn't able to get much farther than covering his hand with water, so he still had a great deal of training left.

Fuu was amazed at their drive. The two were, without a doubt, determined to complete their training. She was intrigued with the techniques the boys were trying to complete. A sphere of condensed chakra and "sourceless" Suiton manipulation were pretty high up in training subjects. Her Biju was also impressed with the boys. She had noticed that Naruto's jutsu was vaguely familiar to the "_Biju Bullet_" and was curious where the blonde learned it.

Kyubi and Benitsuki had noticed the outside youki (1) source coming from Fuu. The fox had the sword spirit try to determine what it was. The spirit was in a trance-like state while she did so for a few minutes before her eyes snapped open and she said, "The source is from another Biju, Kyubi-sama. It feels weaker than yours, but it is still fairly powerful."

The fox hummed in thought and decided to contact his container. **"Boy, we've found out some interesting information about that girl who's watching you."**

Naruto almost lost focus when the fox spoke. 'Oh yea, and what did you guys find out?' he asked mentally.

"**That girl's a Jinchuriki, just like you."**

Now Naruto did lose focus and was blasted back by the force of the jutsu. Groaning as he got up, he was then contacted by his resident sword spirit. _"It's true, Naruto-sama. That girl holds a Biju, but it's not as strong as Kyubi-sama. If I had to make a guess, I would say that it was either the Rokubi or the Nanabi."_

'How did you find out this information?' he asked.

"_We noticed an outside youki source and we found out that it came from her, or more specifically, from inside of her."_

'I see… Can they do the same to us?'

"_It's highly possible."_

That was exactly what Fuu's Biju was doing. The Biju was in the form of a giant horned beetle with six tail-like wings and a tail at the end of her form. This was the Nanabi and Fuu was her container. **"I'm telling you girl, that blonde boy holds the Kyubi. He's a Jinchuriki just like you are."**

'I can't believe it… We actually found another container…' Fuu thought in shock. 'Wait, if you could figure out that, could he do the same to me?'

"**Yes, he can. Well, Kyubi could at least. And it seems as if the boy has already been told about us."**

Fuu stared at Naruto and he did the same. She was nervous under his calculating gaze, but she put up a brave front. Naruto suddenly smiled and said, "It's nice to meet a fellow Jinchuriki."

Koda was surprised at that. He noticed the tenseness in the air and was curious about the reason. To think that the girl, Fuu, was a Jinchuriki just like his cousin was quite a surprise.

"I see that your Biju told you, huh?" she asked the blonde.

"Yea, but he wasn't the only one."

She gained a confused look and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

He pointed to his sword that lay forgotten by her feet. "That sword is sentient. Her soul resides in my mindscape, just like the Kyubi does."

Fuu was surprised at that. She shook it off though and said, "It looks like Nanabi was right about you holding Kyubi." She then smiled and said, "I thought I would never meet another Jinchuriki, but here you are."

He nodded in agreement. "Yea, I was surprised about you being a Jinchuriki too, but I'm glad I met another container."

"Me too."

"So, should I leave you two alone for a bit?" Koda asked with a grin, which grew in size when he saw the two of them gain flushed faces. The grin was threatening to split his face when the embarrassed Jinchuriki glared at him. "I'll just go now." And so, he left the clearing, snickering the whole way back to the hotel.

The remaining teens were too embarrassed to look one another in the eye, so they awkwardly wished the other a good evening and left to their respective hotel rooms. Inside the seals, both Biju were thoroughly amused with their respective containers and Benitsuki was in a fit of giggles over the whole ordeal.

The next day

The boys and Fuu were in the clearing again and this time all three of them were training. The guys were still working on their respective training regiments and Fuu was working on insect control. It turns out that the tube thing she was carrying was actually a container for all sorts of bugs and insects. The top of the tube had multiple openings to allow them to exit and assist Fuu easier. She was working on using two separate insect sources simultaneously. She could easily use any source, but using two or more at the same time becomes a challenge for her on focusing. Her Biju could've helped, but Fuu wanted to do this on her own since she didn't want to completely rely on the Nanabi.

This was the scene that Tsunade walked in on. She saw all three of the teens working hard and making decent progress. It was definitely impressive but they had a ways to go. She decided to try and speed up their process with a little bet.

"Hey brats, come here for a sec."

Said "brats" stopped what they were doing and walked up to her, grumbling something about "not being brats".

"I've got a little proposal for the three of you."

"And what would that be, granny?" asked Naruto.

Cue tic mark on Tsunade's head while she says, "If you value your life in the future, don't call me that. Anyways, I have a bet for all three of you."

"Okay, so what's the bet, Tsunade-san?" asked Koda.

"First, tell me what the three of you are working on." When they told her she then said, "Alright, then I'll bet that by the end of the week, exactly two days from now, that the three of you won't succeed."

"Okay, then what do we get if we do succeed, Tsunade-sama?" Fuu asked.

"For the blonde brat, "Naruto growls, "I'll give him this necklace that I'm wearing."

"What's so special about that necklace?" Naruto asked.

"This was my grandfather's and it is said to be worth three mountains. But it also has 'other' properties to it. Now, to Koda I'll offer this scroll." She held out a dark blue scroll that had the Uzumaki Spiral on it so Koda could see.

"W-Where did you get that?" he asked in shock.

"It was my grandmother's. It has something to do with that 'Waterbending' bloodline of yours. I can't use the bloodline, so I have no real need for it other than it being a memento of her."

"Whoa…"

"And lastly, for Fuu I'll offer the chance to become my apprentice alongside Shizune. This means that you'll learn my medical jutsu, the secret to my insane strength, and the ability to summon Slugs."

Fuu was speechless at the prospect of being taught under her caretaker for a few months. She had wanted to learn from the Sannin and now she had the opportunity.

"But, if the three of you fail, you don't get these offers and also, "she points to the boys, "you two have to forget about bringing me back. You have to head back to your home without me." She then turned to Fuu and said, "That also means that you'll have to say goodbye to the boys, Fuu. Now, do you all accept?"

The teens looked at each other, silently conversing over whether it was worth it or not. After a little while, they looked to the Sannin with determination and said, "We accept."

Timeskip to end of week (I don't feel like going over the training; too boring)

The morning of the end of the week began with Jiraiya being looked over by Shizune and Fuu. Jiraiya had been drugged by Tsunade and his control had gone to shit because of it. Shizune was helping remove the drug with medical jutsu while Fuu had her insects assist her.

The boys were shocked at what the Slug Sannin did to their teacher of a couple weeks and became angry at the thought of also being deceived by Tsunade. They got dressed in their gear and waited for the women to finish up helping Jiraiya.

After a few moments, Jiraiya was god to go and the group of five headed off after Tsunade.

Clearing with Tsunade

Tsunade was staring down Orochimaru and his three followers. She noticed a silver haired teen with glasses, a white haired teen that looked ill, and a red head with a cap.

"I'm glad that you've accepted my proposal, Tsunade, "the snake said with a chuckle. "I do hope that you'll be successful in curing Kimimaro here of his illness."

"What's with the other two? Do you really not trust me that much?" asked Tsunade.

"Truthfully, no I do not. Kabuto here is my right hand and Tayuya is here to back us up. Just think of them as extra security."

"Whatever, let's just get this over with."

She walked up to the sickly teen and ran a diagnostic jutsu on him. She noted that the cause was tuberculosis and it was already pretty far along. Even if she was going to heal the boy, she didn't even know if she could fully heal him of just hold back the illness for a period of time.

She was about to launch her surprise attack, but then the others showed up. This caused the Oto nin to jump back to get some distance.

Orochimaru was irritated but he didn't show it. Kabuto and Kimimaro both looked impassive over their arrival. It was Tayuya who looked shocked and somewhat happy. She lost her opportunity to talk to the Mizu Uzumaki, and now she had another to do so.

"Ah, Jiraiya, what a pleasant surprise, "Orochimaru said with sarcasm.

"The feeling's mutual, teme, "he retorted.

"I take it your arrival means that Tsunade means to betray me?"

"That's right, "she answered. "I never meant to help you. I know all about your little _Reanimation_ technique from Jiraiya and I won't let you defile the bodies of the ones I loved!"

The six got in ready stances and the Oto nin responded in kind. Orochimaru then said, "Kabuto, you take the girls. Kimimaro and Tayuya, you both take the boys. Leave my old teammates to me."

"Yes, Orochimaru/sama, "were their responses. (2)

Kabuto rushed Shizune and Fuu while the other two rushed the boys. Jiraiya and Tsunade responded by heading for the snake.

Koda and Naruto noticed that their opponents seemed either reluctant or not at 100%. Naruto turned to Koda and said, "You take Red. I'll take the other guy."

Koda nodded and took out his chakram. He threw it at them and had them separate to dodge it. Koda then headed for Tayuya while Naruto headed for Kimimaro.

Kabuto vs. Shizune and Fuu

Kabuto was becoming a serious problem for the girls. He was flexible, a medic, and deceptive. He was keeping them away by utilizing his _Chakra Scalpels _and forced them to use ranged attacks. This wouldn't be a real problem for Fuu if he wasn't dodging all of her attacks.

Shizune stepped up her game by using her own _Chakra Scalpels_ to counter Kabuto's. The two were able to cancel out their opponent's technique and Fuu was firing of _Air Bullets_, forcing the snake's right hand to constantly be on the move. This was making the medic nin become really irritated, so he used his _Underground Projection Fish_ technique. This didn't really help him though, since the Nanabi was able to point out his location to Fuu who relayed the info to her partner in battle.

Kabuto was really beginning to show his irritation over the battle and was attacking with reckless abandon. This worked in his favor because he was able to get within the girls' guards and get a few hits on them.

He smirked and said, "This is the difference between you and me. Know your place." He then pulled out a kunai and was about to end kunai, until…

Koda vs. Tayuya

Tayuya was happy and depressed that Koda was her opponent. She was happy that she could finally talk with him, but she knew that he wouldn't listen to her. this made her depressed, but she decided to try anyway.

Koda saw her reluctance, and decided to let her make the first move. It was a surprise to him when she lowered her guard and took off her cap. Her beautiful red hair drooped over her head and she showed the inside of her cap to him. he was confused about her gesture until he saw what was inside the hat. It was a shock to see that the Uzumaki Spiral was in it.

"My name is Tayuya Uzumaki, "she began. "And I just want to talk to you."

Koda kept up his guard and said, "Prove it. For all I know you could've stole that from another Uzumaki."

She nodded and focused chakra to her hands. After making a few motions with them in the air, Koda noticed that she was taking moisture from the air to cover her hands in water.

"Is this proof enough?"

Koda slowly lowered his guard and nodded. "What's an Uzumaki doing under the thumb of someone like Orochimaru?"

Tayuya noticed that he said the snake's name with a large amount of venom. "He took me in when I was homeless and abandoned. At first I thought he was decent, but then I saw the real side of my so-called 'savior'. I saw the experiments, the prisoners, and became a holder of the _Curse Mark_." She showed him her mark on her shoulder. "I was losing hope that I would ever escape, but then I saw you at the Chunin Exams. I saw that you were a proud Uzumaki and I wanted that for me as well. I wanted to meet with you and talk to you, but then the invasion and Orochimaru's order to retreat got in the way; not to mention you going after the Suna Jinchuriki along with that cousin of yours."

"Why me, though? I mean, Naruto's an Uzumaki and you know that. So, why did you want to meet me specifically?"

She fidgeted a little and said, "That may be true, but you are the one with the 'Waterbending' bloodline and I had hoped that you would be able to help me."

"How could I help you? We're enemies now. How can you expect me to help you?"

"I could leave!" she said desperately. "I could run away, turn my back on Oto, and come to Konoha with you. I have plenty of info on the snake in exchange for safe passage and asylum. Please, I don't want to have to sleep with one eye open anymore. I don't want to serve that **monster**. I don't want to be alone…"

Koda saw her silent tears and he was at a loss for what to do. He sighed and walked towards the distressed girl and enveloped her in a small hug. She was shocked at his gesture and her walls broke down. She clung to him and cried her heart out, begging him to help her.

"I won't let you be alone anymore, Tayuya."

She smiled and enjoyed the embrace until the both of them heard an explosion come from the direction of the fight with Kabuto.

Naruto vs. Kimimaro

Naruto and Kimimaro were staring each other down with their weapons drawn. Naruto held Benitsuki while Kimimaro had a **bone** of all things as his weapon. If that wasn't bad enough, he had pulled out the bone from his own body!

"That's an interesting ability, "Naruto commented.

Kimimaro nodded and said, "It's the Kekei Genkai of the Kaguya Clan. We were a warrior clan, but we died out to our recklessness in battle and our stupidity over internal village affairs."

"I'm sorry for your losses, but we have a battle to begin."

"Indeed, but let me ask you something. Did you know that the Kaguya and the Uzumaki were as big of rivals as the Uchiha and Hyuuga?"

"No I didn't, but I take it that you know of my blood by that question."

"Yes I do. However, I do not hold on to the worthless ideals of my clan. I respect the Uzumaki and their abilities. It is a privilege to fight an Uzumaki for the first time, so I hope you make this fight interesting."

"I'll do my best, "Naruto said as he charged. The two warriors were clashing blades and sending sparks all over the battlefield. Naruto was glad that his opponent was not at his full potential, because if he was, he would easily dominate the fight. Even now, the blonde was having some difficulty holding the bone-user back.

"**Boy, I'm giving you some chakra. Brace yourself, "**Kyubi told Naruto.

Naruto felt the rush of energy and his features became more feral. He began again and was able to push back Kimimaro this time. The Kaguya was surprised at the power surge and tried to fight harder, but with his illness he wasn't able to do much more. Naruto then used _Furious Red Night_ and appeared behind Kimimaro who suddenly felt multiple sword strikes hit their marks on his body. He fell to one knee from the blow and was trying to get up, but then Naruto used a Kyubi-enhanced neck chop to knock him out.

Kimimaro fell unconscious and Naruto was about to release the youki, but then he noticed that Kabuto was about to stab Fuu. He quickly formed a _Shadow Clone_ and had it assist him make a fully usable _Rasengan_ and, using Kyubi's energy to increase his speed, he appeared behind Kabuto and drove the sphere into his back. Kabuto's only warning was the sudden presence of the blonde before he felt something grinding into his back and blasting him into a nearby boulder.

Fuu had braced herself, but when she felt no stab wound, she opened her eyes and saw Naruto standing in front of her and Kabuto seemingly out of commission. She was amazed and incredibly thankful to the blonde. He looked to her and gave a foxy grin while asking, "You alright, Fuu?"

She blushed slightly and nodded. "Thanks for that, Naruto-kun." She was internally shocked at the sudden use of an affectionate honorific and blushed deeper when the Nanabi started to tease her about it.

Naruto was a little surprised at the new suffix, but he just kept smiling and said, "Anytime Fuu-chan." This caused Fuu to blush deeper and Shizune to silently giggle at her red face.

With the Sannin

The three had been fighting for a while, and the men were surprised when Tsunade, who had blood on her person, was fighting just as hard as she was in the beginning. What they didn't know was that she had seen Fuu's injuries when she found the girl, and the sight of blood was pushed down by her determination to heal the girl. That incident had helped Tsunade get over her hemophobia.

The three stopped their fighting when they saw Naruto use the _Rasengan_ against Kabuto. Orochimaru seethed while the other two Sannin had proud smiles on their faces.

Orochimaru snarled and said, "This little farce has gone on long enough!" He then went through some handsigns and bit his thumb, drawing blood. The other two saw what he was up to and prepared themselves as well. All three slammed down their hands with a cry of, "_Summoning Jutsu_!"

Three plumes of smoke later, each Sannin stood atop their respective boss summon. Orochimaru stood atop a giant purple snake named Manda. Jiraiya stood atop Gamabunta and Tsunade stood atop a giant blue and white slug by the name of Katsuya.

The others who were conscious saw the summons and were watching the battle intently. Shizune had finished healing Naruto and Fuu of their injuries, Koda was standing next to Tayuya who agreed to have her hands tied, and the other Oto nin were tied back-to-back and had multiple insects watching over them.

"Shouldn't we do something?" asked Fuu.

"I don't think we should interfere with their fight, "Shizune commented.

"We can't just stand here and do nothing!" Naruto said.

"I agree with Naruto. We have to do something," Koda stated. He then turned to Naruto and asked, "You good to summon?" Naruto nodded and Koda looked to Tayuya. "I'm going to leave you with Shizune. Do you promise not to attack or run?" She nodded and was handed over to a skeptical Shizune. "Alright Naruto, let's go!"

The two then rushed to the battle and went through the respective handsigns for the jutsu. The both of them then jumped high into the air and performed the jutsu.

From the plumes of smoke came Yukira and a large red toad with a black coat, a large shield, and a sasumata. "So, you're the one Bunta told us about? My name is Gamaken, but you can just call me Ken for short."

"I see you are in need of my help again, Koda-kun, "Yukira stated.

"Yes, I am. I need you to help out the Sannin against Orochimaru, Yukira-sama."

She nodded and turned to Ken. "You better not fall over, you clumsy baka, "she said to him in jest.

He chuckled and said, "I can't help it; it's just who I am."

The two summonses then rushed to the battle just when Katsuya had divided herself into multiple mini-slugs. Manda had Bunta's dagger in his mouth and launched it at him but the Toad Chief dodged it easily. Ken then took a few swings at Manda who used his natural flexibility to dodge them all. Yukira charged up a large amount of chakra and told Koda to brace himself for the recoil. She opened her mouth and released a stream of subzero winds towards the cold-blooded snake, but the technique's force pushed her back a good ways, throwing off her aim slightly.

Manda dodged it by burrowing underground and he reappeared behind the newly reformed Katsuya. Orochimaru summoned three more large snakes to deal with the other summons while he and Manda went after Tsunade and Katsuya.

Ken dispatched his opponent by using his shield to block its initial lunge and using his sasumata to slam it into the ground. Bunta dodged his opponent and, utilizing a _Fireball Jutsu_ from Jiraiya, unleashed the _Katon: Toad Oil Flame Bullet_ to end his fight. Yukira batted her opponent away with her forepaw and unleashed another _Subzero Blizzard_ to freeze the damn snake.

With their opponents beaten, the six of them, summonses and summoners in all, saw both Tsunade's and Orochimaru's partners had dispelled and Tsunade was wailing on the snake. She kept up the assault and didn't give Orochimaru any chances to retaliate. With one last hit, using the remainder of her chakra, she slugged him in the jaw and sent him careening into Bunta's dagger that was stabbed into the ground. He fell to the ground only to be caught by Kabuto and Kimimaro. This surprised everyone and the boys turned to see logs in the place of their ex-prisoners. Cursing the Oto nin using the _Substitution_ technique, they all saw the three shinobi prepare to retreat.

Before they left, Orochimaru said, "I will have my vengeance on Konoha, just you wait." Kimimaro sent a final glare towards Tayuya and the three Oto nin left. The remaining summonses dispelled and everyone went back to the hotel to rest.

The next day, Tsunade handed over the necklace to Naruto who accepted it with a smile. Koda showed Tsunade that he was able to fill up his waterskins with one-handed moisture manipulation and the Sannin handed him the scroll with a smile. She then let Fuu know that her training would begin after they settled in Konoha.

Naruto was then seen talking to Fuu about how he had grown to like her. she said that she liked him to, while having a serious blush on her face. He then told her about how he already had a girlfriend in Hinata, but Fuu said that she had no problems with sharing. This made Naruto sigh in relief and Fuu hug the blonde and plant a kiss on his cheek, resulting in a blushing Naruto.

Koda was conversing with Tayuya over how he would offer her protection under the Uzumaki Clan so long as she provided the info on Orochimaru. She agreed and was glad that Koda was giving her a chance. He had asked Jiraiya to help suppress her _Curse Mark_ as an incentive and he did so.

The group then decided to begin their return trip the next day. When they would return though, a lot of things would happen.

(End)

1- Youki is Demonic Chakra/Energy

2- Tayuya did not add the "sama" suffix because she hates Orochimaru while the other two practically worship him.

Well, that was a decent sized chapter. Tayuya has revealed her heritage to Koda and he has agreed to help her while Naruto and Fuu have grown closer. How was the chapter? Please R&R!

Next week: the group returns to Konoha and the boys are seen with Fuu and Tayuya. What will their respective girlfriends say when they return to Konoha with these two girls? Will they be jealous, or will they accept them? Stay tuned to find out!

This is pain17ification; see you guys later!


	15. Chapter 15: Return & Relationships

Hey guys! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter "Bond of the Uzumaki". The group returns to Konoha and the boys' girlfriends meet Fuu and Tayuya. Info is given about the snake and the boys' relationships are detailed.

Poll Notice: I put up a poll on my profile. Please cast your votes!

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Avatar: Last Airbender! (Why, damn it? I've been a good boy like Tobi…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

**"Biju speech"**

**'Biju thought/mental speech'**

_"Benitsuki's speech"_

_'Benitsuki's thoughts/mental speech'_

"_Jutsu_"

(Author Note)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 15: Return and Relationships

It was a rather boring return trip to Konoha. Naruto talked with Fuu about how she would love it there, Jiraiya was discussing recent events with Tsunade and Shizune, and Koda was talking with Tayuya about the Uzumaki bloodline.

"So, how long have you been trying to reach 'Avatar' status?" asked Koda.

Tayuya thought it over and replied, "Going on about a year now. It's hard trying to do so in secret. I didn't want that shithead of a snake to find out."

He nodded in agreement and then noticed the Village Gates coming up. The guys all smiled at returning home while the girls had different reactions. Tsunade and Shizune were both having far off looks at returning after so long. Fuu, no matter how much Naruto reassured her, was still a bit nervous. Tayuya was nervous as well, but she was hopeful as well.

Once the group showed their papers to the guards, Jiraiya went off to Sarutobi's office along with Tsunade and Shizune. Naruto went to find Hinata with Fuu while showing her around the village. Koda was left with taking Tayuya to the IT Dept. he was hoping Anko would be the one to interrogate Tayuya because he felt that she would understand Tayuya's situation best.

IT Dept

Once Koda brought Tayuya in, while being escorted by a couple of Anbu, he took her to an interrogation room and waited for the interrogator with her. He saw that she was incredibly nervous, so he gripped her hand gently for support. She relaxed slightly and smiled gratefully at the gesture.

The door to the room opened and Anko walked in with a notepad and pen. She had a look of pure professionalism and asked Koda to wait in the other room. Luckily, he was able to view and listen to the questioning from the room due to the one-way mirror.

"Alright, let's begin, "Anko started as she sat at the table in the room across Tayuya. "Name?"

"T-Tayuya Uzumaki."

Anko was slightly shocked, but she hid it well. "Rank as a shinobi?"

"I was a Chunin before I was taken here by Koda."

Anko kept writing but didn't miss the small smile the redhead had when she said Koda brought her. "Reason for surrender and interrogation?" The question was needed so that the answer could be recorded.

"I gave myself up so that I could give you all information on Orochimaru in exchange for asylum in Konoha. Koda offered protection under the Uzumaki Clan."

Anko gave a brief glance towards the mirror and Koda looked sheepish on the other side, not that she could see him. "And what information do you have to offer? The weight of the info will help determine the actions we will be able to take."

Tayuya stood up a little straighter and said, "Well, he plans to use the Uchiha kid's body as his next container for a _Soul Transfer_ technique that he created in the hopes of staying immortal. The Uchiha's Sharingan would also be beneficial for him learning all the jutsu of the world. He was actually planning on having the Oto 4, myself included, come and convince him to defect from the village. We were to come for him in the dead of night when security was supposedly at its lowest."

"Describe the other members of this 'Oto 4' for me."

"The first member is actually a pair of twins who share a body somewhat. They are named Sakon and Ukon. They have silver hair and are able to merge their cells with their targets and destroy their bodies from the inside. They lead us when we are out on missions. Next is a guy who is practically a human spider. He has six arms to prove it, as well as the ability to make web out of his chakra. He is also proficient with bows and ranged attacks. His name is Kidomaru. The last guy was this fat ass with orange hair named Jirobo. He is physically the strongest, but he only relies on his strength to win. He is also decent in Doton techniques."

Anko kept writing down everything Tayuya said and then asked, "Where were you going to take the Uchiha?"

"Orochimaru has a base near the borders of Fire and Rice Country. We were to take hime past the Final Valley to get there."

Anko pulled out a map and a marker. She placed them on the table and said, "Mark down the location and any other base locations you remember. Take as long as you need."

It took about 15 minutes before the map was marked with the locations of about 5 bases and the base where Sasuke would be taken to. Anko looked it over and had to admit that the bases were hidden fairly well since they were in locations that weren't really noticeable.

"Alright, anything else you have for us? Future plans, victims, notes? Anything?"

Tayuya thought about it before she stated, "The snake has DNA from many different clans and bloodlines. He uses them for experiments and is trying to find a way to integrate them into his own DNA without any problems. That's all I know."

Anko nodded and left after telling the girl to wait for the verdict. She then walked in the room Koda was in and lightly bopped him on the head. "You offered her protection without even knowing if she was being truthful or not?"

Koda rubbed the small bump on his head and replied, "What else was I supposed to do? She was desperate and we needed the info. Plus she _is_ an Uzumaki, so offering her protection with her clan should be somewhat expected."

Anko sighed and said, "You have good reasons, but you rushed into this. Just be careful next time, alright Koda-kun? I don't want you risking your life while bringing someone with potential information to Konoha."

Koda reassured her with a quick kiss and replied, "You got it, Anko-chan."

Anko smiled at that and went to go give the info to Sarutobi for his verdict on it. Koda went with her to help plead Tayuya's case.

Hokage's Office

Tsunade was currently going over the duties she would receive as the next Hokage with Sarutobi. He was happy that she had returned and that she agreed to be the next Hokage. They were just about done before his secretary notified him that Anko and Koda were there to deliver the info that Tayuya gave them. He told her to send them up and waited.

A minute later, the door opened and the two stepped in. after a bow to the Hokage, Anko handed him the notepad she wrote the info on as well as the map Tayuya marked. He looked over all of the information and then asked Koda, "You offered her refuge inside your clan, correct?"

Koda nodded and replied, "Yes sir. She had vital information and is Uzumaki by blood. She is also a Waterbender, like me."

Sarutobi nodded at that and then made his decision. "Tayuya Uzumaki will be allowed to stay in Konoha provided that she is watched by you, Koda-san. You will be held responsible for anything she does for the next few weeks. Ordinarily, the period of being under surveillance would be a few months, but seeing that she came of her own free will and provided plenty of info on Orochimaru, I will cut down the time. Do you understand the responsibilities given to you, Koda Uzumaki?"

"Yes sir, I do. I will keep a close watch on her."

"Very good. Now, go get your new charge and deliver the verdict. I hope you were right in your decision to help her."

"I hope so too, sir."

Koda and Anko were then dismissed and they headed back to get the redhead. The two medic kunoichi headed out as well, but they went to the hospital to take charge of the place. Tsunade also had a Cyclops to help get out of a coma.

With Naruto and Fuu

After Naruto and Fuu left the group, they tried looking for Hinata but had no luck. So, Naruto decided to take Fuu to Ichiraku's Ramen to meet Ayame and Teuchi. They were surprised to see that Hinata was there when they were looking for her. Naruto snuck up behind her and hugged her resulting in a shocked Hinata and a chuckling pair of ramen chefs.

Naruto then whispered into her ear, "I'm back, Hinata-chan."

Hinata was both relieved and embarrassed that it was Naruto behind her. She was relieved that he made it back alive, but embarrassed that he made her so flushed and slightly turned on in public. "I'm glad you are, Naruto-kun, "she said while turning around and hugging him. She then noticed Fuu behind him. "Who's this?"

"Hinata-chan, meet Fuu-chan. Fuu-chan, meet Hinata-chan."

Fuu smiled and said, "It's nice to meet the one Naruto talked the most about."

Hinata was slightly miffed that Naruto referred to Fuu with a "chan" suffix, but she still politely introduced herself. She then asked how the mission went which resulted in a pretty lengthy tale. Fuu gave her perspective on certain parts and Naruto was grinning at the fact that he completed his father's jutsu. Hinata was happy for him but needed to get things clear with Fuu about him, so she asked to speak with the minty-haired girl in private.

Once they were alone, Hinata jumped the gun and asked, "What is your current relationship with Naruto-kun?"

Fuu was somewhat expecting this and calmly replied, "We're friends but we have admitted to liking one another. He also told me about his relationship with you and I don't mind sharing if you don't."

Hinata was surprised at the answer and about Naruto liking the girl. She then thought back to what Naruto told her about the CRA Act being placed on him and that he needed two wives. She smirked slightly and asked, "Fuu, what do you know about the 'CRA Act'?"

With Koda, Anko, and Tayuya

Koda was in the middle of having a late lunch with his girlfriend and new charge. They got along surprisingly well, if Anko making innuendos about the three of them together and Tayuya playing along meant "getting along well". Koda was relieved that they weren't at each other's throats and making scenes. Then Anko asked out of the blue, "So, Tayuya was it?" A nod in confirmation. "What do you think of Koda-kun?" she asked with a grin.

Koda choked on the water he was drinking and Tayuya had a dusty rose coloring to her cheeks. "W-Why do you wanna know?" she asked with a slight stutter.

Anko's grin grew as she replied, "Well, do you _like_ him?"

Koda tried to butt in by saying, "You know I'm right here, right?"

"Yea, I know. I also really want to know the answer."

Koda shook his head with a smile at his girlfriend's antics. He had to admit two things though: he liked her antics and he wanted to know Tayuya's answer also. Tayuya tried to steer the conversation away by saying, "Like I have an opinion on him after being around him for not even a week. Plus, I know that you're his girlfriend, so why would I answer something that could get my ass kicked as a result?"

"I never said that I'd kick your ass. I just want to know. Plus, I don't mind sharing you know?"

Tayuya looked surprised at that and Koda wondered what Anko's game was _this_ time. "Wait, you don't mind sharing your boyfriend with some random chick?"

Anko shook her head and replied, "Not just some random chick, but a woman who cares about him and wants to be with him. Do you feel that way about Koda-kun, Tayuya?"

Tayuya's blush returned and she remained silent much to Anko's amusement. Koda was patiently waiting while Anko was trying to get the redhead to spill. Finally, Tayuya snapped and yelled, "You want to know what I think of him?" At Anko's nod, Tayuya turned to Koda, grabbed his shirt and pulled him into a fiery lip lock. Koda's eyes widened but he quickly got into the kiss while Tayuya was on cloud nine. She loved the taste of Koda's lips on her own and kept the kiss going for a good 10 seconds, if Anko's watch was correct. Once she released the brunette, she turned to see Anko grinning like a loon. "Why aren't you pissed? I just kissed your boyfriend!"

Anko kept grinning and replied, "I told you that I don't mind sharing. Plus, I knew you liked him, so I just wanted to push your buttons and make you act on your feelings. You have to admit that you don't regret what you just did, right?"

Tayuya's face grew bright red in both anger and embarrassment, but she did admit to herself that she really didn't regret kissing Koda. She turned to him and saw him giving her a warm smile. "Why aren't you mad? I mean, your girlfriend doesn't mind sharing, but I just made you kiss me."

Koda slightly chuckled and replied, "I actually enjoyed it. And as for me already having a girlfriend, I'm with Anko. If she doesn't mind sharing me, then I wouldn't mind pursuing another relationship. Besides, I like you Tayuya." She grew wide eyed at that. "You have this fiery personality, you don't take shit from others, and you're also a very beautiful woman. I wouldn't mind going out with you if you don't mind."

Tayuya was still trying to process what was going on and was blushing at what he just said about her. She never saw herself as anything other than a slave to a psychotic snake, so hearing such genuine compliments being told to her brought a smile to her face. She then made her decision and kissed Koda again. It was a short kiss and when she pulled away from him, she herself was pulled into a lip lock with the violet haired woman. This resulted in a blushing Koda and Tayuya, a drop of blood leaking from Koda's nose, and Anko being Anko.

After the kiss, Tayuya yelled out, "What the fuck was that? I thought you liked Koda-kun!" She didn't even notice the suffix she gave him, but the other two did.

"Yes I do, but you're pretty hot yourself. Plus, I'm bi so I enjoyed that," Anko replied with a grin.

Koda was trying to reboot his brain at that and Tayuya just asked in shock, "You're bisexual? Holy shit, I am too!"

Koda fainted at that with a slightly perverted grin and Anko laughed at that. "No fooling? Well then, we'll get along just fine, Tayuya-chan."

The girls then picked up their man, seeing as Tayuya wanted to pursue a relationship with him and Anko supported, and brought him to Anko's place. He was placed on the couch while the girls bonded over some sake.

Back with Naruto

Naruto was going through something similar to Koda and he was happily being held onto by Hinata and Fuu. After the girls finished talking, they sat down at the counter with him between them and Fuu gently pulled him into a kiss. He was surprised, but Hinata assured him that she didn't mind so he kissed her back. After they separated, Hinata pulled him into another kiss and he enjoyed himself. The Ichiraku duo was happy for him and felt that he deserved some happiness after all the shit that he had already gone through. The girls then told him that they both wished to be with Naruto and he agreed to it.

Yep, life was going pretty good for the boys, but certain events were about to come up and ruin their good times.

(End)

So, that's it. The girls have no problems with Tayuya and Fuu and the guys are happy about that. Also, keep in mind that with Koda having to keep an eye on Tayuya, he won't be able to do certain things for upcoming events. Remember to R&R people!

Next week: Sasuke becomes desperate for power and wishes to prove his "superiority" over our blonde hero. Stay tuned!

See ya next time!


	16. Chapter 16: An Uchiha's Anger

Hey guys! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter "Bond of the Uzumaki". The group returns to Konoha and the boys' girlfriends meet Fuu and Tayuya. Info is given about the snake and the boys' relationships are detailed.

AN: Sorry for the late update. Had like 8hrs overtime yesterday and it left me too tired to update.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Avatar: Last Airbender! (Why, damn it? I've been a good boy like Tobi…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

**"Biju speech"**

**'Biju thought/mental speech'**

_"Benitsuki's speech"_

_'Benitsuki's thoughts/mental speech'_

"_Jutsu_"

(Author Note)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 16: An Uchiha's Anger

The following days after the Suna/Oto Invasion were not pleasant for the Leaf's resident Uchiha Heir. He was denied his promotion to Chunin in favor of the _dobe_ of all people and his bastard of a cousin. Even that lazy Nara was promoted! Why not him? He was an Uchiha, the elite of the elite! It wasn't right!

After the promotion announcement, he then saw the two Uzumaki leave with one of the legendary Sannin to go and locate another. It was apparently a mission of the utmost importance. Again, why was it that he wasn't asked to go? Surely one of the Sannin would be honored to teach him and complete missions with him, right?

But no, the damned Uzumaki teens were the ones asked to go. He spent the next few days training by himself since his idiot of a sensei went and got himself in a coma. How the hell did it happen this time? It seemed like Kakashi was always getting himself brought to the hospital and hindering his training to kill Itachi.

He then saw, when the group returned, that the dobe had a pretty cute looking girl with him and his cousin had a fiery redhead cuffed. Both would make great Uchiha brides and would definitely sire powerful offspring. He was angered however at the fact that they had succeeded in bringing back Tsunade to Konoha. He swore, then and there, that he would put those two in their place; especially the _dobe_.

With the Uzu Teens

Naruto was currently in the middle of trying to make a _Rasengan_ with only one hand. It was proving to be very difficult, but he was slowly getting the hang of it. Hinata and Fuu were currently discussing their respective hobbies and interests. Fuu, like Hinata, was a fan of cinnamon buns and medicine; not surprising since she was traveling with the best med-nin of the Elemental Nations.

Koda was helping Tayuya with her Waterbending and helping her get a better feel for source-less water manipulation. She proved to be a real prodigy when she was pointed in the right direction. She was already halfway up to Koda's level in just a few hours. Anko wasn't able to join them since she was recently discussing how to handle the info Tayuya gave them on the snake.

They were interrupted by a certain Uchiha walking up to the training field. He was followed by his ever-faithful pink banshee, Sakura. He had a smug look on his face, but on the inside he was seething at the sight of Naruto and Koda's training. He saw a glimpse of the _Rasengan_ for about a second in Naruto's hands and saw Koda's Waterbending with the redhead. Why couldn't he have that kind of power to work with? No matter; he will get what should belong to him soon.

"So, the dobe and his posse are trying hard to keep their Chunin Vests, huh? You really should give up because you don't deserve those ranks; I do."

Naruto sighed in annoyance while Koda merely rolled his eyes and they went back to training, ignoring the now angered Uchiha. Sakura then yelled out, "Naruto-baka, don't ignore Sasuke-kun!" She was about to whack him on his head, but was stopped by two kunai next to her neck; one in front of her throat and the other behind her.

Hinata and Fuu were not about to let their boyfriend be hit by this pink fan-girl of the Uchiha. "I would advise not hitting Naruto-kun anymore, Haruno-san, "Hinata said in a serious tone.

"Unless you want to end your ninja career early?" asked Fuu.

"Girls, it's okay. Let her try and hit me, "Naruto said to them. They reluctantly backed away from the shaken pinkette and Naruto said, "Alright Sakura, take your best shot."

Sakura was brought out of her frozen state and charged toward a bored looking Naruto. She threw a right hook that was easily pushed aside and then felt an explosion of pain in her gut. Naruto had hit her with an open palm strike that was too fast for her to see and she was launched back from the force of the attack. She skidded to a stop next to Sasuke who looked at her in disappointment.

Naruto then gave the Uchiha a bored look and asked, "What did you really come here for, Sasuke? Surely talking down to us wasn't the only reason you brought yourself here; if so, I pity you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sasuke asked.

"Simple: if talking down to us is all you came here for, then you must feel pretty incompetent to do anything other than talk down to those who you originally saw as weak, but now see as a threat. That shows that you are nothing more than an immature child."

Sasuke was boiling in anger and he roared, "I am your better, dobe! You're nothing more than a deadlast who has no one while I'm an Uchiha; an elite!"

"You're wrong Uchiha, "Koda said. "Naruto is not without anyone. In fact, he is in the same boat as you: a Clan Head who has support from the Council and from the Uzumaki Clan Head; me."

"If you're the Uzumaki Head, then what clan is the dobe Head of? The Deadlast Clan?" Sasuke asked with a smirk.

"Actually Sasuke, "Hinata started, "Naruto-kun is Head of a clan just as important as the Uchiha."

"Then what is it?"

"I am currently the new Head of the Namikaze Clan; the clan that the Yondaime Hokage was the last of. He was my father, and a great man, "Naruto answered.

Sasuke was shocked at that bit of info. How the hell could the _dobe_ be the Head of the 4th Hokage's clan? It couldn't be true! It had to be a lie!

Yelling in rage at the fact that he was afraid of Naruto gaining more power and support, he rushed the Jinchuriki and pulled out a kunai to strike him with. Naruto called for everyone else to move out of the way and he pulled out Benitsuki to block the Uchiha's weapon.

_"Naruto-sama, let's put this brat in his place!"_ yelled out the sword spirit.

**"She's right, Kit. This boy has been nothing but a thorn in our side for too long. Bring him down a couple pegs, "**Kyubi added.

'Gladly, 'Naruto mentally answered them.

Pumping chakra into his blade, Naruto easily sliced through the kunai and cut Sasuke's arm slightly. Sasuke then jumped back and activated his Sharingan. Naruto merely got into a ready stance and waited for Sasuke's next move.

The Uchiha flew through handsigns and shot out a _Fireball Jutsu_ at Naruto who sliced it down the middle with his _Moon's Cry_ technique and rushed at Sasuke. It was slightly more difficult for Naruto because of the Sharingan and all of the speed conditioning that Sasuke went through with Kakashi. Sasuke finally got the upper hand when he kicked the sword out of Naruto's grip. The blade flew and got stuck into a nearby tree. Naruto then used _Shadow Clones_ to overwhelm the Uchiha. It was Sasuke against 50 Naruto clones.

The clones charged and launched themselves at Sasuke. Sasuke, utilizing his Kekei Genkai, was a step ahead of the clones and was dispelling them left and right. He then was blinded slightly by one of the clones using the metal of a kunai to reflect a glare from the sun to his face. This distraction allowed Naruto to initiate his _Uzumaki Naruto Barrage_. Four clones launched the Uchiha up into the air with simultaneous kicks and the real Naruto was above him getting ready to ax-kick him back to the ground. Sasuke recovered from the temporary blindness after the first four kicks and blocked the last kick with his elbow. Before he stabbed the Naruto he blocked, Naruto used _Substitution Jutsu_ with one of his clones and had another prepare a _Rasengan_ to use on Sasuke.

After dispelling the clone, Sasuke noticed Naruto preparing a powerful looking jutsu and he prepared his _Chidori_ to clash with it. They then flew at each other with their ultimate techniques, but before they could clash, a newly recovered Kakashi appeared out of nowhere and grabbed the boys by their wrists. He then threw them both towards a couple trees away from the group and each other. The _Chidori_ obliterated the tree it hit while the _Rasengan_ hit its tree and launched it through multiple other trees. After the third or fourth tree it broke apart.

Sasuke was smirking at what his jutsu did, but that smirked turned into a look of rage when he saw the destructive force of Naruto's jutsu. He was brought out of his anger by Kakashi walking up to him and saying in a serious tone, "It's time we had a serious talk, Sasuke."

The Uchiha grunted out a reply and Kakashi used _Shunshin_ to get them out of there. Naruto was helped to his feet by Hinata and Fuu while Koda and Tayuya watched on.

"You know that the Uchiha is willingly going to go with the snake after this, right Koda-kun?" asked the redhead.

Koda nodded and said, "I know, but unless you are allowed to stop him from leaving Fire Country, I won't be able to do anything about it. You're still under watch and can't leave the village. But, I'm not worried since I know Naruto will be able to stop him."

Tayuya nodded and then asked, "So what do we do in the meantime?"

The Uzumaki shrugged and replied, "I'm not sure. Just go through life normally, I guess. We could warn the Hokage, but I'm sure that Hatake-san has probably done so already."

Tayuya then smirked and said, "Then, since you don't have any plans, you can take me out sometime."

"Sure, I'd love to take you out Tayuya-chan. Maybe this weekend…" he said with a smile.

Tayuya nodded in acceptance and the two went back to training. Naruto and the girls then went to go get something to eat. The girls wanted to get Naruto's mind off of what had just happened and he was all for that.

With Kakashi and Sasuke

Kakashi was not happy with his student. He had deliberately used an _assassination_ jutsu on a comrade! That was not the reason he had taught _Chidori_ to Sasuke and he was ready to seriously talk to him about it.

"What were you thinking, Sasuke? You could've killed a fellow shinobi with that little stunt! Do you realize that you could be suspended from duty or punished in some other way for your actions?"

Sasuke sneered and replied, "So what? The dobe needed to be put in his place and I would have succeeded if you hadn't interrupted, Kakashi!"

"Watch your tone, _Genin_, "Kakashi said putting emphasis on Sasuke's rank. "There are no better or lesser shinobi; only those who know the difference between true strength and false power. And besides, that jutsu Naruto used was what the _Chidori_ is based off of. There's no way that a derived technique like yours could ever beat its parent jutsu."

Sasuke was even angrier at that statement. The _Chidori_ was not able to beat a jutsu known by the _dobe_? 'How can I get more power?' he asked in his mind.

Kakashi sighed and said, "Sasuke, you can't use jutsu like that against your comrades. It isn't right."

"What would you know? Maybe if you lost everyone that mattered to you, then you could understand my pain!"

Kakashi was quiet for a bit then said, "I already have." He then left in a _Shunshin_ leaving Sasuke alone to brood over his lack of strength.

Sasuke was desperate for power and was racking his brain to find out how he could gain more. Then it hit him: Orochimaru. He was a Sannin, he was powerful enough to host an invasion force, and he had given Sasuke the power of the _Curse Mark_. Smirking to himself, Sasuke prepared for his journey to more power.

The next day found an unconscious Sakura on a bench. She had failed to stop Sasuke from leaving and heading into the clutches of the snake.

(End)

And it is done. Sasuke has left the Leaf Village. Will he succeed in getting to the snake? Or will Konoha be able to stop him in time? Please R&R!

Again, sorry for the late update. Work is murder on the weekends…

Next Week: The Sasuke Retrieval Squad is formed to stop the Uchiha from reaching the white snake. Who will stand against them when Tayuya is no longer a member of the Oto 4? Stay Tuned!

See you all next time!

-pain17ification


	17. Chapter 17: Retrieve the Uchiha

Hey guys! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter "Bond of the Uzumaki". The Sasuke Retrieval Mission is the focus of this chapter.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Avatar: Last Airbender! (Why, damn it? I've been a good boy like Tobi…)

AN: Sorry for the late update. We had a black out in our neighborhood and I couldn't post the chapter due to the internet going down as well. That was awful...

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Biju speech"**

'**Biju thought/mental speech'**

"_Benitsuki's speech"_

'_Benitsuki's thoughts/mental speech'_

"_Jutsu_"

(Author Note)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 17: Retrieve the Uchiha

Tsunade was not in a swell mood. She had just heard from a frantic Sakura that the damn Uchiha had decided to leave Konoha to join the snake, Orochimaru. This of course made the damned Civilian Side of the Council breathe down her neck about sending a team to retrieve the brat. She couldn't send Jonin because of the need for them to complete higher missions. This left her with no choice but to send out a group of Genin with a Chunin Squad Leader.

With her plan made she called in Naruto and Shikamaru to prepare a team to retrieve Sasuke. After explaining what was going on, they were given 10 minutes to come up with a team so that she could have them meet up at the gates of the village.

Shika decided to bring Choji, Kiba, and Neji. He needed Choji's strength, Kiba's nose, and Neji's eyes for this mission. Naruto decided to bring Lee for his taijutsu skills, Hinata for her Byakugan, and Fuu for her ability to use her insects to track like Shino could. He originally wanted to bring Koda also but he had to watch over Tayuya due to her probation.

With their team decided, they were set to meet at the gates. Naruto and Shika were there within five minutes and were waiting for their teammates to show up. Neji and Lee were the first to arrive followed closely by Kiba and Akamaru. Choji arrived next and the girls were last to arrive. The girls were followed however by Sakura. She was in tears and slowly approached Naruto.

"Naruto, please, I know I haven't been the best teammate or person to you, but I'm begging you: please, please bring Sasuke-kun back! Please…"

Naruto was silent for a few seconds before he replied, "I'll perform the mission to the best of my ability. I'll try to bring back Sasuke, but no promises."

This made the rest of the team silently agree with his statement and made Sakura somewhat relieved. She still had doubts that Naruto would bring Sasuke back, but she would hope that he did.

The group of 8 then raced after Sasuke. Kiba was in the front followed by Fuu and Hinata. They were to scout ahead of the group with their respective abilities. They were followed by Choji and Lee who were meant to be in the middle for support. Naruto and Shika were next to give orders and Neji brought up the rear to scan for potential ambushes.

They were travelling for about ten minutes before Kiba called out that he had Sasuke's scent along with four others. Shika relayed orders to approach with caution and try to get Sasuke quickly. The group arrived to the clearing that the Sasuke and the Oto nin were in. Sasuke had just been sealed into a barrel of sorts and was surrounded by the original Oto 4, but in Tayuya's place was a woman who had fair skin, dark eyes and light blue hair which she kept in a spiky ponytail with long strands of hair framing her face. Her outfit consisted of a green dress with a long left sleeve and a short right one, a red turtle-neck which had a white, fluffy collar and brown gloves. Under the dress, she wore a one piece red suit. For shoes, she wore calf-length brown sandal boots. They heard from the conversing between them that her name was Guren.

Suddenly, the Oto nin launched multiple kunai at the Konoha Team and forced them to dodge and reveal themselves.

"Well well, what do we have here? A couple of Leaf brats who lost their way?" asked Sakon.

Naruto pulled out his sword and stated, "Surrender the Uchiha and no one gets hurt, Oto nin."

Kidomaru laughed and replied, "You don't get it, do you? Sasuke came to us on his own accord. We didn't take him; he chose to leave."

Jirobo decided to add, "And besides, what do you little punks think you can do to us? We are the elite of Orochimaru-sama, while you are just a bunch of brats!"

Guren stayed silent and silently observed the Leaf Team. She noted two Hyuuga, an Inuzuka, an Akamichi, a Nara, and three unknowns. She did note though that two of the unknowns had incredibly high chakra levels while the green-clad one had the look of an experienced shinobi. 'This might be harder than we thought, 'she mused to herself.

"Jirobo, stall them while we take Sasuke back to Orochimaru-sama, "ordered Sakon. Jirobo nodded and stepped between the Konoha and Oto teams.

He went through a quick set of handsigns and cried out, "_Doton Barrier: Earth Prison Dome of Magnificent Nothingness_!" The earth surrounding the Konoha Team rose up and trapped them inside of a large dome of chakra infused earth. While Jirobo kept up the jutsu, the other Oto nin took Sasuke and left. Inside of the prison, the Hyuuga used their Byakugan and saw that the earth dome was slowly eating away at their chakra. Shika cursed and racked his brain for a quick escape. Kiba, being an impatient pup, used his _Tunneling Fang_ to try and bust out. He hit multiple parts of the dome and caused significant damage, but the damaged earth just repaired itself.

Hinata noticed that some parts of the prison repaired itself at a much slower rate. She relayed that info to Shika and Naruto and the latter of the two used his _Rasengan_ to break the part that was still repairing itself. He was able to successfully break part of the dome and allow the team to escape. This shocked Jirobo and he immediately went to his _Curse Mark Lv. 1_ to try and stop them from heading after the others. He was intercepted by Choji using his _Partial Expansion: Arm_ jutsu and punching Jirobo with a giant fist. Choji took a soldier pill and gave a bag of them to Shika to replenish the group's chakra. He then told them that he would face Jirobo, something that the group agreed to and they left the Akamichi alone to face the Oto nin.

Choji vs. Jirobo

Choji and Jirobo fought like brawlers and wrestlers, striking each other with incredible strength and performing devastating grapple attacks. Jirobo was forced, after a while of straight up brawling, to ascend to his _Curse Mark Lv. 2_ which transformed him into a demonic looking human with dark chakra and incredible strength. This put Choji in a tough spot and he was forced to eat the special pills of the Akamichi Clan. Using the first ended up increasing his physical strength while the second increased the potency of his jutsu. The pills were not without a price though and caused pain to Choji as he used them, straining his muscles and chakra coils as he fought. However, even with his increase in power, the _Curse Mark Lv. 2_ was still overpowering him.

This forced Choji to eat the last pill which made all of his chakra form a pair of "butterfly wings" as well as make Choji lose a tremendous amount of weight in exchange for a huge power boost. He was able to easily overpower Jirobo after eating the pill and ended the man's life by placing all of the chakra from his "wings" into his fist and punching the Oto nin in the chest with all of his might. The blow caused Jirobo to have his ribs shatter, lungs collapse, and heart overwork itself leading to his death. After ending the battle, Choji tried to follow the others, but his fatigue from the battle and the pills forced him to rest against a nearby tree and fall unconscious.

With the team

After leaving Choji, the group of 7 rushed after the Oto nin and was able to catch up to them in a short amount of time, much to the displeasure of the Oto nin. Kidomaru decided to stall them by utilizing his chakra wed to trap them. He decided to fight the Leaf nin and told the other two to leave with the Uchiha. After the other two left, Kidomaru was about to end the lives of the Konoha nin, but Neji and Hinata were able to break through the chakra webs by releasing chakra through their tenketsu (chakra points). The sudden pulse of chakra was too much for the web and it seemed as if only a Hyuuga could easily break through it. Neji told the others to leave the spider-like shinobi to him and Hinata. The others left, but Naruto and Fuu did so reluctantly.

Hyuuga vs. Kidomaru

Kidomaru decided to try and launch continuous web at the Hyuuga to try and slow them down but it proved useless since one of them easily broke the other free of the web. Hinata and Neji, despite their past issues, were able to work together very well and prove that the Hyuuga were not to be underestimated. They double teamed the six-armed nin and kept him on his toes. He was able to retaliate through the use of a strange substance that grew from his sweat glands that could act as either armor or a weapon do to its malleability. Neji came up with a plan and relayed it to Hinata, which she agreed to. He rushed the Oto nin and unleashed his _8 Trigrams: 64 Strikes_ technique to break through the armor. The 64th strike launched him towards the Hyuuga heiress who launched her own version of the Hyuuga Clan ultimate taijutsu: the _Protective 8 Trigrams: 64 Strikes_. This was a remake of the original and suited Hinata due to her flexible body and incredible chakra control. It allowed for both offensive and defensive movements in one incredible technique.

The strain of the strikes proved very problematic for Kidomaru, so he used the _Curse Mark Lv. 1_ and summoned a giant spider. After the spider appeared, he sliced through the egg sac, releasing hundreds of dog-sized spiders upon the two Hyuuga. They tried valiantly to hold them all off, but with the endless spiders, quickly depleting chakra levels, and attacks from Kidomaru it was too much for them to handle. Kidomaru even got a few strikes in on them and realized that the Byakugan had a small blind spot. Smirking at his luck, he ascended to the _Curse Mark Lv. 2_, changing him into a demonic looking human with three eyes, and made a bow and some arrows out of his malleable sweat (1). He took many shots and did an incredible amount of damage to the Hyuuga. It seemed like it was all over for them. Until…

With the team

The now group of 5 had caught up to the Oto nin again, but they had someone else with them that Naruto knew.

"Kimimaro… Still serving that damned snake?" asked the blonde.

"Indeed, Uzumaki… Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a vessel to deliver to Orochimaru-sama before it is too late for him to transfer."

He then took off and his escape was aided by Sakon and Guren placing themselves between him and the Leaf ninja. Naruto came up with a plan to separate them and used his _Moon's Cry_ technique. The energy slash cut through the tree branch that they were on and they jumped in two different directions. Shika then told Kiba to go after Sakon while he and Fuu went after Guren. Naruto and Lee rushed after Kimimaro and were hot on his trail.

Kiba vs. Sakon/Ukon

Kiba and Akamaru chased the twin shinobi to a ravine and were ready for a fight. Akamaru had already used the _Man-Beast Clone_ to change into a clone of Kiba while the twins stayed in one body. The two Kiba then rushed the conjoined Oto nin and attempted to double team him. this proved ineffective due to the unique ability to have body parts of Sakon or Ukon appear on any part of the body. So, as the two canine clan shinobi attacked hands, feet, and other parts of the body appeared from anywhere whether it was the head, the back, or the limbs.

Kiba then decided to have Akamaru revert back to normal and use his _Dynamic Marking_ to put its urine all over the Oto nin. The urine was meant to act as a beacon for the next technique: the _Man-Beast Ultimate Transformation: Two-Headed Wolf_. Seeing the transformed Kiba and Akamaru, the Oto nin bypassed the _Curse Mark Lv. 1_ and went straight to _Lv. 2_ turning them into an armored looking ogre of sorts. The 2-headed wolf used its _Wolf Fang-Over-Fang_ and rushed the conjoined ninja, bisecting him by the sheer force of the technique. However, the bisected ninja became two separate bodies: Sakon and Ukon. They performed the _Summoning: Rashomon_ to block the return strike of the 2-headed wolf. The attack was able to punt a huge dent into the gate-like wall, but it still protected the Oto nin. After reverting back to Kiba and Akamaru, they tried to attack again, but Akamaru took a serious blow and that distracted Kiba enough to leave him open for Sakon's _Parasitic Demon Demolition_ technique. This technique allowed Sakon to merge his cells with Kiba's, but Kiba decided to end it by stabbing himself in the stomach which harmed both him and Sakon. While Sakon struggled with the wound and was aided by Ukon, Kiba made his escape with Akamaru by heading down the river. He had lost his coat and was unaware that Ukon was using it to mask his scent from the Leaf nin.

As Kiba rested with Akamaru, he was surprised by the sudden appearance of Ukon who was wearing his coat. He cursed at that and the fact that Sakon was back to normal. He was ready to accept death, but…

Shika and Fuu vs. Guren

Shika immediately came up with a plan to incapacitate Guren with the use of Fuu's bugs and his _Shadow Possession_ technique. He had Fuu command her bugs to distract the Oto nin and make an opening for his shadow to capture her. They were surprised when the bugs became surrounded in a pink, stone-like substance. Guren laughed at their failed plan and explained how they were no match for her Kekei Genkai: the Shoton (Crystal Element). She made dozens of crystal shuriken and launched them in rapid succession to keep the Leaf nin from coming up with another plan.

Fuu was growing more and more frustrated and asked Chomei, her Biju, to supply her with some more chakra. Chomei obliged and Fuu grew a pair of wings to increase her speed and mobility. She then used her insects to surround her in an armor of sorts before she rushed the Shoton user. Guren responded by using her _Shoton: Crystal Prison_ technique to surround herself in crystal and block off Fuu's attack. Fuu left insects on the prison before she flew away and hid in the trees. She lowered her defense and didn't notice the insects or Shikamaru hiding in some branches behind her before it was too late. Shika was able to trap her in his _Shadow Possession_ and held her in place while Fuu had her insects siphon away Guren's chakra.

Guren became angry at being captured so easily and decided to use her ultimate jutsu: the _Shoton: Crystalline Requiem_ (2). It surrounded her form and literally transformed her into a crystallized human. She broke free from the _Shadow Possession_ and crystallized all of Fuu's insects before she rushed the Nanabi Jinchuriki.

Fuu was put into a tough spot since whatever Guren touched slowly became surrounded in crystal. Shika tried launching multiple kunai with exploding tags at Guren to distract her, but they merely glanced off of her crystallized form. Fuu begged Chomei for more chakra, but the beetle warned her container that she was not yet ready for the increase in power. Fuu desperately said to do it anyway and then felt a rush of youki in her but also felt its negative influence try and corrupt her. Her form was surrounded in a 2-tailed red cloak of youki, complete with wings, which bubbled around her before she roared and rushed the Shoton user.

The youki was able to protect her from the crystallization and gave enough strength to break straight through the armor and land direct blows on Guren. The youki was too corrosive for Guren and started eating away at her cells and left her writhing in agony. Fuu was about to deliver the final bow before her eyes flashed from demonic red to calm orange and she released her youki cloak. She collapsed from fatigue and pain from straining herself too much. Shika helped Fuu to her feet and was about to head after Naruto and lee, but he saw a familiar redhead from Suna rush in the same direction.

Back with the Hyuuga

The Hyuuga were at Kidomaru's mercy and he was about to end it, but a cry of "_Wind Scythe Jutsu_" stopped him from doing so. The jutsu tore through the tree and sliced through them all. He was unable to dodge and was torn up from the blades of wind in multiple areas before he plummeted to his death from 50 feet.

The Hyuuga were surprised to see the Wind Mistress, Temari, and thanked her for her help. She waved off their tanks and decided to patch them up before the three of them headed back to Konoha. The Hyuuga were worried for their comrades, but she said her brothers had it covered.

Back with Kiba

Kiba was saved from death by Kankuro and his puppets, Crow and Black Ant. He easily held off Sakon and Ukon with his puppets and was able to divert them into being trapped inside the Black Ant before he used his _Secret Black Move: Iron Maiden_ to end their lives. Kankuro then complained at the simplicity of the fight before he, like Temari with the Hyuuga, patched up Kiba and Akamaru and helped them back to Konoha.

With Naruto and Lee

In an open plain, Naruto and Lee had caught up to Kimimaro. They intercepted him and knocked the barrel holding Sasuke out of the bone user's hands. After the barrel landed, the lid began steaming before the entire barrel exploded in a burst of dark chakra. From the barrel came Sasuke who laughed insanely at his new power before he ran towards Rice Country. Lee told Naruto to head after the Uchiha while he dealt with Kimimaro. Naruto reluctantly agreed and raced after the Uchiha. Lee was about to begin his fight with Kimimaro before a tendril of sand smacked the bone user away. The tendril had come from the gourd of Gaara who stated that he was there to assist Lee. The taijutsu user nodded in gratitude and the two began their fight with Kimimaro.

Lee and Gaara vs. Kimimaro 

Lee was to fight up close while Gaara provided ranged support. Lee was holding his own against Kimimaro, but it seemed as if the bone user was bored with the whole thing. Kimimaro was agile enough to dodge both of his opponents with great ease and he launched multiple _Finger Drilling Bullets_ at them to keep lee back and Gaara from using his sand offensively. What Kimimaro didn't know was that Gaara was using a separate tendril of sand to grind up the earth surrounding them into more sand.

Kimimaro then saw Lee take out a bottle that had the kanji for "Very Dangerous" on it. Lee was given that by Gai before he left and was told to only drink it when he felt that there was no other option. Lee drank the elixir and started to feel woozy and highly irritable. He then rushed Kimimaro again, only his attacks were much faster and so random that it left Kimimaro unable to predict most of them. Kimimaro took many blows and Gaara was slightly amazed at Lee's but then smelled the scent of sake in the air and realized that Lee was fighting drunk. He almost gave into the urge to face-palm, but he just kept up with grinding the earth more.

Kimimaro was pushed into using his _Curse Mark Lv. 1_ and used his rib cage as armor against Lee's attacks and pushed the drunken fighter back. Lee was starting to sober up when Gaara decided to step in and fight Kimimaro alone. Gaara then used his _Sand Shower_ to have the sand he collected rain down over the battlefield. He then launched large waves of sand at Kimimaro and, after a while, was able to trap and use the _Desert Funeral_ on him. The sound of bones being cracked filled the air before a hand missing a lot of skin emerged and dragged the body of Kimimaro out. The bone user had patches of skin missing showing parts of his skeleton to the world.

Kimimaro then stated that he regrets having taken Gaara too lightly and he swore never to be taken like that again. Gaara then concentrated and prepared his _Desert Avalanche_ technique. The sand rose around him and formed a huge wave that swept over Kimimaro, burying the meadow and surrounding forest in a desert. Lee raised a hand to Gaara, asking if Kimimaro had been defeated this time but Gaara silently performed _Desert Funeral_. The sand responded with an enormous rumbling, shaking the forest with its force. Out of the sand came Kimimaro in his _Curse Mark Lv. 2_ that rushed Gaara with a huge spear made of bone. Gaara responded by using his _Ultimate Defense: Shukaku Shield_ to block the spear. After a struggle, the spear broke apart before Gaara makes the ground underneath Kimimaro turn to quicksand, and Kimimaro slowly sank down. Gaara explained him as he falls that he will descend 200 meters and be immobilized by the weight of the sand on top and around him.

After Kimimaro was buried, Gaara began to rest due to low chakra. He then hears Kimimaro cry out his final attack (3) which makes bones spike up from the ground and form a forest of dry bone trees. Gaara saved himself and Lee by having them ride on floating platforms of sand before Kimimaro appears from one of the tree in a desperate final attack. However, the attack is cut short due to his death from his terminal illness. The attack had ended just inches away from Gaara's face. After making sure that the bone user was dead, Gaara has the platforms land them somewhere safe and he rests from the strain of the fight with Lee vowing to get stronger to help his comrades without outside help.

With Naruto; Final Valley

Naruto had finally caught up to Sasuke who was waiting patiently for him on top of the statue of Madara Uchiha. Naruto landed on top of the statue of Hashirama Senju and stared down at his old teammate. No words were exchanged for the both of them knew that a fight between them was inevitable. Naruto slowly drew Benitsuki and Sasuke took out a kunai.

The fight between the last Uchiha and the last Namikaze was about to begin.

(End)

1- I have no clue what the material is.

2- An original jutsu of mine. It makes Guren turn her skin into crystal and allows her to transform whatever she touches into a slowly encasing crystal.

3- I have no idea what the technique is called.

So, the Sasuke Retrieval Squad has survived their encounters and the Oto nin opposing them have all fallen. Sasuke and Naruto are about to begin their showdown. Please R&R!

Again, sorry about the late update, but blackouts suck! Next Week: Clash! Namikaze vs. Uchiha!

That's all for now! Laters!

-pain17ification


	18. Chapter 18: Namikaze vs Uchiha

Hey guys! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter "Bond of the Uzumaki". The battle between Naruto Namikaze and Sasuke Uchiha is focused on in this chapter.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Avatar: Last Airbender! (Why, damn it? I've been a good boy like Tobi…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Biju speech"**

'**Biju thought/mental speech'**

"_Benitsuki's speech"_

'_Benitsuki's thoughts/mental speech'_

"_Jutsu_"

(Author Note)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 18: Namikaze vs. Uchiha

The skies over the Final Valley were blocked by the gray clouds that cried with the sounds of thunder. Every now and then, a flash a lightening would race across the sky, lighting up the valley with its glow. Naruto felt that this was a fitting setting for his clash with the traitorous Uchiha. He held Benitsuki in his right hand and her sheathe in his left and saw Sasuke take out a pair of kunai to counter the blonde. The two were silently standing on the river of the valley, waiting for the other to make the first move.

"Listen here, dobe, I'm not going back to Konoha! I need power to kill Itachi and I'll never get it staying in that pathetic excuse of a village! Now, stay out of my way! I won't let anyone get in my way!" yelled Sasuke.

Naruto merely shook his head and replied, "You fool… You have no clue where true strength comes from. It's not the jutsu and techniques that make the shinobi… But the one who wields them." He then threw his sheathe away and had his chakra flare through his blade. "Get ready Sasuke, because I'm taking you back to the village; not as a fellow shinobi, but as a traitor of the Leaf."

Sasuke snarled and dashed at Naruto. On the way he threw the kunai and then went through the handsigns for his _Fireball Jutsu_. Naruto easily batted away the knife and then used his _Moon's Cry_ to cut right through the flaming sphere. The techniques canceled each other out and Naruto then used the _Shadow Clone_ technique to surround Sasuke. Each of the clones prepared to use the _Moon's Cry_, but Sasuke cut the chakra from underneath him and sank into the river of the valley. The sword techniques collided with one another and exploded with chaotic energy, dispelling all of the clones in the process.

Sasuke then launched himself out of the water with his _Chidori_ cackling with blue electricity. He lunged his jutsu at the blonde, but Naruto blocked with Benitsuki's blade. Sasuke wanted this to happen and he grabbed the blade with his electrically charged hand and pulled Naruto towards him. Naruto was not expecting that and was unable to defend himself from the knee to his gut. The blow made him lose some grip on his sword, which Sasuke threw away. Sasuke knew that the blade was powerful, so he needed to get it away from Naruto. After throwing it aside, he kicked Naruto away and laughed at him.

"What's wrong Naruto? Now that your precious sword is gone, you have no chance!" He then readied another _Chidori_ and raced towards Naruto. Naruto pulled the same trick Sasuke did and cut the chakra underneath him to sink into the water. Sasuke cursed and was unable to stop himself from running over where the blonde just sank down. Naruto then exploded out of the water with 10 clones and they all dive-bombed at the Uchiha. Said Uchiha activated his Sharingan and used it to dodge and counter all of the blonde copies. He was caught by surprise by the feeling of Naruto's hands around his ankles. The Uchiha was lifted off of the ground by multiple clones and whipped around until he crashed into the valley's mountain wall.

Naruto then grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and asked, "Had enough, Sasuke? This is pointless, you know? You're merely throwing your life away just for the sake of revenge against someone who had the power to wipe out your entire clan in a single night! You have to understand that you have no chance without help!"

Sasuke then glared at him and cried out, "Shut up! You have no clue about what I've gone through! You were alone from the start! You had nothing, so how the fuck could you understand what it means to lose everything? I suffer because of those ties, so you who had nothing like that could just go straight to hell!" He then pushed off of the wall and gripped Naruto so that the blonde's head was straight down. The two then fell towards the ground and Naruto was pile-driven into the ground. Sasuke then jumped away from him and felt power come from his Sharingan. His two tomoe gained a third in each eye, resulting in a mature Sharingan.

He started to smile evilly at Naruto's prone form and then laughed insanely. He kept laughing at how easy it was to take down the dobe. Suddenly, a chain radiating with chakra wrapped around the Uchiha's throat and threw him away from Naruto. Said blonde was slowly standing upright and had Kyubi's youki coming off of him in waves. From his back came the start of the chain that had tossed away the Uchiha. Naruto had just awakened the power of his Whirlpool Soul; the _Chains of Subjugation_ which were the same chains that his mother once had.

Naruto was surprised at this and felt that the chain was connected to his chakra coils. He then willed it wrap around his right arm and the chain obeyed without hesitation. The amazed the Namikaze as well as Sasuke who had picked himself up from the chain's attack. The Uchiha snarled at Naruto's new power and was seething at how the blonde seemed to just sprout new techniques and abilities like they were nothing.

"Why? Why is it that you have all this power given to you and I have nothing?" raged the Uchiha. "You were nothing! You had nothing! You had no one! So why is it that you are so powerful?"

Naruto gave Sasuke a cold stare and replied, "It's because I started out with no one that I realize where true power comes from." This confused Sasuke, so Naruto elaborated. "I had no one and none of the villagers paid any attention to me, except for the ones who beat me. It made me learn to appreciate every small act of kindness as something of great importance. Every person who gave me the time of day and wished to know the real Naruto became precious to me. I know exactly how important the relationships I have with everyone are because I never had any to begin with. You on the other hand had a great start. You had a family, friends, the villagers' support, and recognition from everyone. You had so much that you were able to take them all for granted and never realized how important they were until you lost them. I may not have had anyone at the beginning, but the people who I've come to connect with are my precious people! I fight for them, Sasuke, and they do the same for me! We support one another and rely on each other! To quote Haku: 'When a person fights to protect someone precious to them, then they become stronger than they ever were before'!" He then had the Kyubi's youki completely cover him, forming the visage of a one-tailed fox. The youki bubbled like acid and radiated energy. "Get ready Sasuke, because I'm fighting for the ones I care for; the ones who are risking their lives for your pathetic ass!"

Naruto then punched in Sasuke's direction, making the youki stretch and form a separate limb made entirely of chakra. The chakra arm raced towards the Uchiha and plowed into his chest, launching him into another part of the mountain wall. Sasuke struggled to get up and was using the mountainside as support. He then called on the power of his _Curse Mark_ and had the corrupted chakra surround him with its power. The chakra changed Sasuke, making him change to his _Curse Mark Lv. 2_ form.

Sasuke's skin changed to dark grey with a black four-point star mark between his eyes and across the bridge of his nose. His sclera turned black, with his irises still blazing with the Sharingan, and his lips turned blue. He also grew claw-like nails and his hair grew to waist-length. Then, from his back, came to wings in the form of giant, webbed, clawed hands. He checked himself over and felt tremendous power flowing through him. He started chuckling and then began laughing insanely before he cried out, "This power is amazing! I've never felt this amount of power before!" He then turned his gaze to the youki-enhanced Naruto. "This is the end, dobe!"

Sasuke rocketed across the water towards Naruto. Naruto was firing multiple _Chakra chains_ and using his chakra limbs to distract the Uchiha, but the cursed child weaved through them all by using his Sharingan and newfound speed. Naruto then had all of the chains wrap around him in a sphere, with the spiked tips sticking out, forming a protective dome around him. Sasuke attacked the sphere, but the chains reacted to each attack like they had a will of their own, just like the sand that Gaara used. Sasuke then jumped back and prepared one final _Chidori_ to end the fight.

Inside the sphere, Naruto sat in a meditative position so that he could talk directly to the fox.

Mindscape

Naruto was standing in front of Kyubi's cage alongside the hazy form of Benitsuki. Since he was not close to the sword, Benitsuki did not have as good a connection to the mindscape. They were waiting for the fox to come up with an idea.

"**I'm surprised that you awakened your Whirlpool Soul, Kit. That is impressive, but we have bigger problems. The Uchiha is using the cursed energy from the snake and is now equal to your one-tailed state."**

"So what do we do?" asked Naruto.

"**You need to use more of my youki and ascend to a two-tailed state. You will lose some rational thought due to your inexperience with it, but it seems to be the only way."**

"_Are you sure that's wise, Kyubi-sama? Naruto-sama's body is already weakened from the awakening of the Whirlpool Soul. Going to a two-tailed state will make him lose, not some, but _all _rational thought and make him attack the Uchiha to kill and not to subdue, "_Benitsuki asked the fox demon.

"**If he doesn't, then the two will fight to only a stalemate which will weaken Naruto more than the Uchiha. Right now, Kit, you're able to remain standing due to adrenaline. As soon as you run out, you'll collapse. The Uchiha was able to land bigger blows on you, so you're bound to run out of chakra before he does."**

Naruto cursed and asked, "Do you think you could help me retain my rational thought?"

Benitsuki shook her head sadly and replied, _"Unless you are holding my sword, I can't help you Naruto-sama."_

"**I could help a little, but not for too long. You'll have to act quickly, Kit, or else you'll lose yourself in my power."**

Naruto nodded and said, "Let's do it."

Outside of the Mindscape (3 seconds later)

Naruto opened his eyes and heard the sound of Sasuke's _Chidori_ forming. He braced himself and felt youki explode from the seal and fill his chakra coils with its energy, forming a second tail of youki. Naruto then had the two tails form a _Rasengan_ on his right palm and then he recalled the _Chakra Chains_. Once the chains receded, Naruto was standing upright holding a full-powered _Rasengan_ swirling with youki-infused chakra.

Sasuke stared at Naruto's new state and pushed more chakra into his jutsu, changing it from a bright blue to a corrupted black and grey. Naruto's jutsu had changed from blue to a demonic amethyst color.

The two stood still for a couple more seconds until another flash of lightening lit up the valley. The Namikaze and Uchiha then charged at each other and attacked with their respective trump cards.

"_Kitsune Yoko Rasengan_!" (Fox Demon Rasengan)

"_Kurai Chidori_!" (Dark Chidori)

The two jutsu exploded with power and were caught at a standstill, forming a dark sphere of energy around the two of them. Inside the sphere, Naruto's _Rasengan_ broke past the _Chidori_ and he landed a heavy blow to the Uchiha's gut. The blow launched Sasuke out of the sphere and to the water below. Once he hit the water, he fell unconscious and merely floated on the surface, his _Curse Seal Lv. 2_ receding and returning him to normal. Naruto let his tails recede and used the remainder of his strength to drag Sasuke to shore before he collapsed as well.

Before he completed lost consciousness, he saw a blurred figure with silver hair and thought that Kakashi had reached the battlefield. Unfortunately, the figure turned out to be Kabuto who was ordered to take the Uchiha back to the base. The right hand of the snake took one last look towards Naruto and said, "You sure are something, Naruto. To be able to use the fox's power, yet keep your mental state intact, is nothing short of impressive. You've definitely earned my respect, even though we are on different sides." He then left with Sasuke in tow.

About five minutes later, Kakashi showed up and witnessed the aftermath of the battle. He shook his head in sadness at how his student could just throw away everything for power. He then turned his gaze to his blonde student and sighed sadly.

"You did your best Naruto. I may have been your 'sensei', but I never acted like the teacher I should have been. I'm so sorry about all of this Naruto, and sensei, I don't know if you're listening, but I'm sorry that I wasn't there for your son. He truly is worthy to be called 'Naruto Namikaze'."

The Copy Nin then retrieved his student's sword, took Naruto away from the battlefield, and carried him home. The mission to retrieve Sasuke Uchiha would be noted as a failure, but Naruto would grow stronger from it all.

(End)

And that's a wrap! I hope I wrote this chapter to your liking! Don't forget to R&R!

Sorry for the late update, but it was my 19th birthday on Friday and I went out of town yesterday with my family to celebrate.

Next Week: The Final Chapter of Bonds of the Uzumaki! The departure of Naruto and Koda for their respective 3 years of training! We all know where Naruto's going, but what about Koda? And will they go alone, or will others come along for the ride? Stay Tuned Everyone!

Laters!

-pain17ification


	19. Chapter 19: Plans & Departure

Hey guys! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter "Bond of the Uzumaki". The final chapter of this story is here.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Avatar: Last Airbender! (Why, damn it? I've been a good boy like Tobi…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Biju speech"**

'**Biju thought/mental speech'**

"_Benitsuki's speech"_

'_Benitsuki's thoughts/mental speech'_

"_Jutsu_"

(Author Note)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 19: Plans and Departure

The smells of anesthetics and the sounds of someone coming and going were what made Naruto wake up from his unconscious state. The first thing he saw was the white ceiling and walls of a hospital room. He also noticed that he was bandaged up from head-to-toe and that he had a tube pumping him with nutrients to keep him healthy.

'I guess the mission was a success…' he thought.

The door suddenly opened and Hinata walked in with a yellow flower. She noticed that her boyfriend was awake and stuck her head out the door, calling out, "Fuu-chan, Naruto-kun is awake!" She then rushed over and hugged Naruto as Fuu came in and did the same. Naruto smiled at how much they cared about him and hugged them back.

Fuu was the first to let go and asked, "How are you feeling?"

Naruto shrugged and answered, "Not too bad. A little sore, but I'll pull through." He then asked, "So, how'd the mission go?"

At that question, the girls narrowed their eyes and Hinata responded, "It was a failure. Sasuke was able to escape."

"What? I knocked him out, I'm sure of it! How the hell did he…?"

"Kakashi-san said that his nin-dog smelled the scent of snakes in the area after your fight and that the scent left with Sasuke's. He thinks that Sasuke was taken by someone while you were unconscious, "Fuu answered.

Naruto clenched his bed sheets and growled out, "Damn it…"

A new voice called out, "Don't go beating yourself over this, Naruto. Missions are like games; you win some, you lose some." The three looked up and saw Koda standing in the doorway with Tayuya at his side. They both walked in and Koda asked, "You gonna be okay, man?"

Naruto nodded and replied, "Yeah, I'll pull through. I'm just irritated that all that work I put in to bring back their precious Uchiha was for nothing. The bastard didn't even want to be brought back!"

"Calm down, Naruto. If what our old reports told us were right, the Uchiha was bound to leave sometime for more power, "Tayuya stated. "Plus, the _Curse Mark_ was exactly the power that he wanted. So, even if he was brought back, he would've left anyway."

Naruto sighed and said, "Yeah, you're right. Thanks for explaining that to me, Tayuya."

"No prob."

After that, Naruto, Hinata, and Fuu all gave details on their fights with the new Oto 4 and Tayuya was surprised that Guren of all people took her spot. They kept talking about the mission until Koda and Tayuya had to leave. Koda said he had a request for the Hokage and he had to ask her soon.

After they both left, Naruto asked about the condition of the others. Hinata told him that they all were okay, but Choji and Kiba were worse off than the others; especially Choji since it was unhealthy of him to lose that much weight so quickly. What was surprising to them all was that Ino was at his bedside for long periods of time. Naruto figured that it was just a concerned teammate watching over another, but the girls thought otherwise.

Kiba had a deep stab wound and Akamaru had some broken bones, but they would pull through. Fuu told Naruto that Shika was taking the failure the hardest since he almost lost his best friend, but was surprisingly brought out of his slump by Temari. _This_ time, Naruto figured that the Wind Mistress had a little thing for the Shadow User and the girls agreed.

Tsunade soon walked in, followed by Sakura and Shizune. She saw that Naruto was awake and noticeably much better, so she said, "I guess I shouldn't be so surprised that you're already up and about. I still want you to stay overnight, just in case. Got it, gaki?" She gave Naruto a look that told him not to argue, so he wisely agreed. "Now, as I'm sure you know, the mission to retrieve Sasuke Uchiha was a failure?" Naruto nodded. "Alright, you should also know that the Civilian side of the Council is furious about that and are calling for your immediate banishment, but I stopped them immediately after they suggested it."

Naruto gave her a grateful look and said, "Thanks, Tsunade." This surprised the blonde Kage and Naruto noticed it. "What? I can't make cracks at your age _all_ the time, y'know?"

Everyone but Sakura laughed at that. She couldn't laugh since the one she felt she loved was gone and never coming back. Naruto noticed this and asked for the others to leave for a second while he talked to the pinkette. After they left, Sakura asked, "Why, Naruto? Why did Sasuke-kun just up and leave us like that?"

Naruto sighed and said, "The reason can be explained in one word: Revenge."

"What do mean?"

"You know that Sasuke wanted power to avenge his clan, right?" At her nod, he continued, "Well, Sasuke felt that he would never get the power needed to do that here in Konoha. So, he gave into the temptation of the _Curse__Mark_ and left the village to get power from Orochimaru."

"That's so stupid! He could have gotten the power he needed here! He could have got people to help him also!" she yelled at him.

"I know that Sakura, but open your eyes damn it!" he yelled back, shocking her. "He never cared for us! Hell, he didn't even like being associated with us! All he saw you for was an annoyance and me as a damned stepping stone! He tried to kill me Sakura; multiple times! I don't know about you, but I think that says 'I don't give a fuck about you' more than anything he's ever said or done to me!"

Sakura was staring at the blonde with wide and teary eyes. Naruto never yelled at her and yet, the one time he does is to try and make her see the Uchiha's true colors. She couldn't take it and ran out of the room. Naruto merely sighed and lied back down on his bed. He just hoped that Sakura would finally see that the world didn't revolve around the Uchiha.

Hokage's Office

Koda was in the middle of making a request to Tsunade with Tayuya and the blonde Kage was in thinking it over.

"So, you want to go and search through the ruins of Uzushiogakure with Tayuya and Anko to look for anything related to your clan. Am I right so far?" she asked the Uzumaki.

Koda nodded and replied, "Yes, I want to go back to my roots and see if anything from the clan could be found and recovered. I also want to use my role as Konoha/Mizu Diplomat to stay in Mizu and train for a couple years. According to the section on diplomats in the Shinobi Charter, 'All diplomats are allowed up to two escorts during their travels'."

"While that may be true, I thought that Anko was your stand-in for the Council Meetings while you were away on mission or another issue had come up? How is the Uzumaki Clan supposed to be represented if both you and Anko are away?"

Koda was one step ahead of her and answered, "Anko's friend, Kurenai offered to take her spot as my stand-in so that Anko could come with me."

Tsunade thought it over and couldn't find anything wrong with his plan, so she said, "Alright, I'll allow the three of you to leave the same day Naruto does."

This confused the two Uzumaki. "What do you mean?" asked Tayuya.

"Jiraiya plans on having Naruto become his apprentice and wants to take the gaki on a 3-year training trip. He plans on leaving next week, so you three will just leave at the same time." the two had looks of understanding and they nodded. "Alright, let Anko know and get ready to leave for next week."

The two Uzumaki thanked the blonde, bowed to her, and left the office. Tsunade turned her chair around to observe the village with a smile.

'Those boys will go far, 'she thought to herself.

Hospital

Naruto was resting in his bed before a loud boom was heard followed by the Hospital shaking. He opened his window to see Jiraiya on top of a very large toad.

"What the…? Ero-sennin?" he asked in shock.

"Hey there, Naruto, "Jiraiya greeted the blonde. He then got off the toad to sit on the windowsill. "Listen up kid, I've decided to go ahead and name you my apprentice. So, as my apprentice, I'm going to take you out of the village on a trip for about three years."

"That long? But what about the village and missions? I can't just shirk off my duties as a shinobi."

"I know that, which is why this trip is labeled as a long term S-Rank Mission. I'm going to be taking you to see many different places while training you in the Gama Arts and preparing you for the Akatsuki. I just received a report from my spy network, and they reported that the Akatsuki won't start going after the Jinchuriki again until about three years. So, this is the perfect opportunity to train you to be strong enough to stand on equal ground with them. So, what do you say, Naruto?"

Naruto went over the pros and cons of the Sage's offer before he looked to him with a confident smirk. "I'm in, Jiraiya-sensei," he responded, making the man smirk back.

"Alright then, we leave next week, so you better be prepared." He then jumped back onto his summon and said, "See ya then."

Naruto responded with a salute, "You got it!"

Day of Departure (Village Gates)

Naruto, Hinata, and Fuu were waiting for the others to show up at the village gates. Naruto had asked the girls to come with him, but they had already made preparations to be trained under Tsunade and Shizune. Fuu was already her student, so her decision was obvious, but Hinata's choice to be trained by the Slug Sannin was a surprise. Nonetheless, Naruto was happy for the both of them and wished them luck in their training. The girls responded by giving him two heated kisses and wishing the same for him.

Soon Koda, Tayuya, and Anko came up to the gates, each with a travelling pack of their own. This surprised Naruto before Koda explained the plan he made with Tsunade. Naruto wished his cousin luck and Koda returned the gesture. Anko and Tayuya also wished the blonde good luck while giving a hug goodbye while Hinata and Fuu did the same to Koda.

Tsunade and Jiraiya, along with Kakashi and Iruka, came up to the gates not long after that, and everyone who was leaving was wished a safe trip and good luck. Tsunade, Kakashi, and Iruka also had parting gifts for the boys.

Tsunade gave them scrolls on Uzumaki Fuinjutsu so that the Uzumaki's legacy could survive. Kakashi gave Naruto a scroll on some Fuuton Jutsu and apologized for not being there for his student as much as he should have been. Naruto said that he forgave Kakashi and told him to just make sure that Sakura would be looked after by him. Kakashi agreed to that and gave Koda a scroll on Suiton Jutsu along with his thanks for being there for Naruto in the recent months. Koda thanked the man and asked to have a spar with him on his return, which Kakashi agreed to. Iruka gave the boys books on advanced chakra control and told them to come back as respectable shinobi. The boys thanked the man and promised not to let him down.

Suddenly, a stream of sand flew past them and dropped notes in both of the boys' hands. The note only had a simple sentence:

"Make sure you don't die, my friends."

The boys smiled at that and made mental promises to do so.

After everyone said goodbye, the group of five left the village and stayed together for a couple miles before saying goodbye one last time and going their separate ways; Naruto and Jiraiya heading for Kumo while Koda's group headed for Uzu.

They wouldn't see each other for another three years, and when they did, it would lead to more challenges and trials for the Uzumaki boys. But they knew that, no matter the hardships, their bond would stay strong.

Their "Bond of the Uzumaki".

(End Story)

And that's that. The story is done… Or is it? Check the next chapter to see, and don't forget to R&R!

This is pain17ification, see ya guys later!


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